Police: Toddler's death in Buckeye appears related to medical condition

Brock Blasdell, Arizona Republic
·1 min read
Officers were called Wednesday morning about a child who had stopped breathing near Southern Avenue and Rooks Road. The child was pronounced dead at the location.
Officers were called Wednesday morning about a child who had stopped breathing near Southern Avenue and Rooks Road. The child was pronounced dead at the location.

Buckeye police said a 3-year-old boy was dead after officers found him unresponsive on Wednesday. Police are investigating the cause of death.

Just before 8:30 a.m., officers received a call about a child who had stopped breathing near Southern Avenue and Rooks Road. Firefighters and officers used life-saving measures upon arrival, but they were unsuccessful at reviving the child. The child was pronounced dead at the location; the cause of death is unknown.

Buckeye police stated Thursday after investigating the incident they determined the death not to be suspicious as it appeared to be related to a medical condition.

The latest data from Arizona Department of Health Service's Arizona Child Fatality Review Program found an increase in the deaths of children ages 1 to 4 in Maricopa County from 2019 to 2020. While this year's statistics are not yet available, last year's trends for the state show child mortality rates for this age bracket were decreasing after a 10-year high in 2013.

Reach breaking news intern Brock Blasdell at Bblasdell@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @BrockBlasdell.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Police: Toddler's death in Buckeye appears related to medical condition