GILBERT — An 18-month-old boy declared dead after a drowning incident in Gilbert, Arizona, on February 8, 2026, was later discovered alive in a hospital cold room. Police are recommending negligence charges against the parents, while the hospital involved has initiated a review of the incident.

Emergency services responded to a report of a drowning at a residence in a Phoenix suburb around 5:30 p.m. on February 8. Emergency personnel performed resuscitation maneuvers on the boy before transporting him to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center. He was declared dead at the medical center approximately one hour after his arrival.

Gilbert Police records indicate that two officers observed possible signs of life multiple times following the declaration. The boy was transferred to the hospital's cold room after receiving treatment from medical staff. Police were informed five hours after the declaration of death that the boy was breathing. A local medical examiner's team found the boy breathing in the cold room and urgently transferred him to another hospital.

The child survived the incident and was later discharged from the hospital. Mercy Gilbert Medical Center issued a release stating the hospital conducted "a thorough review of all aspects of care provided to understand what occurred and make changes that strengthen our care."

Gilbert Police are recommending negligence charges against the boy's parents. Investigators reported a strong smell of marijuana inside the residence. They also noted open doors that could have allowed the child unsupervised access to a pool. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office stated on Monday it was reviewing the case and declined further comment. During the initial events, Doctor Aryan Toosi told one officer, "Please do your job and let me do mine." Toosi also told an officer, "I went to medical school for a reason." Scott Holden, an attorney representing Toosi, stated, "There is much more to this case, both from a factual and medical standpoint, than has been reported thus far." A GoFundMe page created in February indicated the child would require extensive therapy.