Toddler Rescued After Being Declared Dead; Parents Face Charges

WHO:

CNN - The toddler involved is identified as Vincent, an 18-month-old boy.

CNN - Dr. Aryan Toosi was involved in the medical treatment of the child.

CNN - Gilbert police are involved in the investigation and are recommending negligence charges against the parents.

CNN - Mercy Gilbert Medical Center is the hospital where the child was initially taken.

WHAT:

CNN - The boy was ultimately released from the hospital after being found alive.

ABC News - Police were notified about five hours after the initial declaration of death that the child was breathing.

Boston.com News - A team from the local medical examiner's office found the boy breathing in the hospital's cold room.

CNN - The toddler was found in a backyard pool and initially declared dead at a hospital.

CNN - The child was later discovered to be breathing in a hospital morgue hours after being declared dead.

CNN - First responders performed life-saving measures on the child before he was taken to the hospital.

CNN - The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case for potential charges against the parents.

CNN - A GoFundMe page was created to help the boy’s family with medical bills, stating he would need extensive therapy.

WHERE:

CNN - The incident occurred in a backyard pool in a Phoenix suburb, specifically Gilbert, Arizona.

CNN - The child was taken to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center and later flown to another hospital.

WHEN:

CNN - The incident occurred on February 8.

CNN - First responders were dispatched to the home at about 5:30 p.m. on February 8.

WHY:

CNN - Investigators noted a strong odor of marijuana at the home and open doors that could have allowed unsupervised access to the pool, which may have contributed to the incident.

HOW:

CNN - The child was rushed to another hospital after being found alive by the medical examiner's office team.

CNN - Two Gilbert police officers observed possible signs of life multiple times before the child was taken to the hospital's “cold room.”

CNN - The child was pronounced dead about an hour after arriving at the hospital before being found alive later.

(UPDATED July 7, 2026 17:45 UTC)

A boy who was initially declared dead was found alive in a hospital's cold room by a team from the local medical examiner's office. After being discovered breathing, he was quickly rushed to another hospital for further care. Authorities were notified about five hours after the initial declaration of death that the child was still alive.

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(UPDATED July 7, 2026 15:57 UTC)

A toddler named Vincent, just 18 months old, was found in a backyard pool in Gilbert, Arizona, and initially declared dead at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, only to be discovered breathing hours later in the hospital morgue. First responders performed life-saving measures on Vincent before he was taken to the hospital, and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is now reviewing the case for potential negligence charges against his parents, who were reportedly under the influence of marijuana at the time. A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist the family with Vincent's medical expenses, as he is expected to require extensive therapy following this incident.