Mom of Arizona toddler found alive in hospital morgue speaks out
The mother of an Arizona toddler who was declared dead and later found breathing in a hospital morgue has spoken out, ABC15 and NBC News reported. Her family's lawyer is questioning a key test result. Police found no grounds for criminal charges, and the hospital says it cannot comment.
The mother of an Arizona toddler who was found alive in a hospital morgue has spoken out, according to ABC15 and NBC News. The 18-month-old boy had been declared dead at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center in Gilbert in February.
The boy was rushed to the hospital after he was found in the family's pool on Super Bowl Sunday, ABC15 reported. A doctor declared him dead at 6:20 that evening, NBC News reported. More than five hours later, a worker from the medical examiner's office found that he was still alive, ABC15 and NBC News reported. He was rushed to Phoenix Children's Hospital.
His mother said the boy she brought home is not the same child, ABC15 reported. He will need care for life, the family's lawyer said, according to ABC15.
"He was alone for five and a half hours," she said in her interview with ABC15. "How do you do that to a baby?" She said a relative thought the boy was still breathing before he was taken away, ABC15 reported.
The family's lawyer, John Brewer, is raising questions about a blood test. The doctor cited the test in deciding to stop efforts to save the boy, ABC15 and NBC News reported. Records reviewed by ABC15 appear to show the results came 18 minutes after the boy was declared dead. Brewer said he plans to file a formal complaint against the doctor and the hospital, NBC News reported.
The hospital called the case "heartbreaking" in a statement. "Out of respect for the patient's privacy, we cannot share any information," it said, according to ABC15 and NBC News. A lawyer for the doctor said in a statement that the doctor wishes the boy continued healing, ABC15 reported. The lawyer said pending lawsuits and privacy laws keep him from discussing details.
Gilbert police said their probe did not find probable cause of a crime by medical staff, ABC15 reported. No charges were sent to prosecutors. Police sent the case to the state attorney general's office, ABC15 and NBC News reported. The office said Wednesday it has not decided whether to review it, NBC News reported.
What we know: The boy survived after being found alive in the morgue, and police found no grounds for charges.
What we don't: Whether the attorney general will review the case.
Where outlets agree ABC15 and NBC News report that the boy's mother spoke out about her son being declared dead at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center in February and later found alive, and that the family's lawyer questions when a key test result arrived.
Where they differ The cited reports agree on the key facts so far.