An 18-month-old boy, Vincent Lorenzo Fiordilino, was found alive inside a hospital morgue five hours after being declared dead by a doctor following a near-drowning incident in Gilbert, Arizona. The toddler had been pulled face down from his family's swimming pool on February 8 during a Super Bowl gathering.
Emergency Response and Declaration of Death
Emergency crews arrived at the scene at 5:20 pm and rushed Vincent to Mercy Gilbert Medical Centre. Less than an hour after his arrival, a doctor pronounced him dead. However, in an extraordinary twist, the boy was found to still be breathing after being placed in the hospital's morgue.
According to a police report, officers questioned the decision to declare the toddler dead after believing they saw signs of life. These concerns were raised with the attending physician, Dr. Aryan Toosi, who allegedly dismissed them. The report states that Dr. Toosi told officers: “Please do your thing and let me do my thing. I went to medical school for a reason.”
Body Camera Footage and Parental Grief
Body camera footage captured the moment Dr. Toosi declared Vincent dead, saying: “If there’s no objections, I’d like to call time of death. Time of death 18:20. Moment of silence.” The doctor broke the news to the boy's parents moments before, and they left the hospital believing they had lost their son.
The police report notes that officers and the child’s parents believed the boy was still gasping for air even after he had been pronounced dead. A detective reported hearing “another audible gasp” at around 7:18 pm as hospital staff prepared to move the child to the refrigerated holding area.
Discovery in the Morgue and Transfer
Five hours after the toddler was pronounced dead, a transporter from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office arrived to collect his body. Upon opening the morgue drawer, the transporter found Vincent still breathing. He was immediately airlifted by air ambulance to another hospital for emergency treatment and has since been discharged.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is now investigating the six-hour ordeal and the circumstances surrounding Vincent's near-drowning. The Gilbert Police Department is also investigating the events leading up to the incident and has recommended that the boy’s parents face child abuse charges.
Police Findings on Parental Impairment
According to a police report obtained by NBC affiliate KPNX, it is believed the boy's parents were unaware he had wandered to the pool while the game was on. Investigators suggest this is because of “the potential of both parents’ state of mind being impaired by marijuana and/or other mind altering substances. Both admitted to smoking marijuana the morning of the drowning,” the report states.
Hospital and Doctor Response
Mercy Gilbert Medical Centre confirmed it carried out an internal investigation into what it described as “a heartbreaking situation.” The hospital said it conducted “a thorough review of all aspects of the care provided to learn what happened and to make meaningful changes to strengthen our care.” The medical centre refused to provide any further comment.
Dr. Toosi’s lawyer, Scott Holden, defended his client but told The Sun he could not comment fully while investigations continue. In a statement, Holden said: “Because of this, as well as patient confidentiality, we are unable to make a full statement at this time other than to assure you that there is much more to this case, both factually and medically, than has been reported thus far.”
Vincent's Current Condition
Although Vincent is not named in the police report, the family has shared their story via GoFundMe. In the fundraiser, his family says that Vincent is breathing with the assistance of a ventilator. He has avoided serious brain damage but will require ongoing medical monitoring and extensive therapy.
