No charges will be filed against the parents of an 18-month-old Arizona toddler who was initially declared dead after being found in a family pool, but was later discovered to be breathing at a hospital morgue.
Gilbert police had recommended negligence charges against the parents. However, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell stated that securing a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt was unlikely.
"The family had multiple childproof locks and safety measures in place, and multiple adults were present in the home, all of whom believed someone was watching the child," Mitchell said. "Additionally, the investigation found no evidence that the parents exhibited any obvious signs of impairment."
First responders were called to the family's home on February 8 following a report of a drowning. They administered life-saving measures to the child before transporting him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead approximately one hour later.
About five hours after the initial pronouncement, police were informed that the child was breathing. He was subsequently flown to a different hospital and survived.
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, where the toddler was first taken, described the situation as "heartbreaking" but declined to provide further details. The hospital confirmed it conducted a review of the care provided.
Documents obtained by The Associated Press indicated that Gilbert police officers observed potential signs of life multiple times at the hospital, despite the child being taken to a room designated as a morgue. The records also suggested tension between police officers and a doctor at the hospital.