An 18-month-old boy in Arizona is found alive after being pronounced dead following a near-drowning. The child was taken to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center after being discovered face down in a backyard swimming pool on February 8. Police and media reports say he was pronounced dead at about 6:20 pm. Officers and family members reportedly expressed concerns that the boy was still gasping, with at least two police officers saying they saw signs of life multiple times.
After medical staff placed the child in a hospital area used for deceased patients—described in police records and reporting as a “cold room” and later the morgue—medical examiners found he was breathing several hours later (around 11:52 pm, nearly six hours after the pronouncement). He was immediately transferred to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where he survived and has since been released, according to police.
Police reports and related coverage also describe an investigation into whether the child’s parents may have contributed to the incident, including allegations related to supervision and potential drug impairment. Authorities and the hospital have conducted or are conducting investigations, with no final findings reported in the summaries provided.
