Story perspectives

Toddler Declared Dead, Found Alive in Morgue Amid Marijuana Use

7/4/2026

Summary

Story summary

Dr. Aryan Toosi declared the 18-month-old boy dead at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center.
Staff later found the toddler breathing in the morgue and released him.
Gilbert Police Department recommended child-abuse charges after the parents admitted smoking marijuana that day.
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center said it completed an internal review and prioritized patient safety.
Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case while the doctor faces no criminal charges.

History

Historical Context

The 2024 investigation of Dr. Aryan Toosi’s premature declaration of death echoes earlier infant-mortality crises, such as the Hospital for Sick Children’s Cardiac Ward in Toronto where, after a surge beginning 30 June 1980, 29 deaths were examined and digoxin poisoning was uncovered by March 1981. Those events prompted lock-up of dangerous drugs and stricter autopsy protocols, shaping today’s push for double-check verification in Arizona.

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Story summary

Dr. Aryan Toosi declared the 18-month-old boy dead at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center.
Staff later found the toddler breathing in the morgue and released him.
Gilbert Police Department recommended child-abuse charges after the parents admitted smoking marijuana that day.
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center said it completed an internal review and prioritized patient safety.
Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case while the doctor faces no criminal charges.

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