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Medical Examiner Finds Toddler Alive After Declared Dead

By Drooid · Oct 23, 2026, 2:57 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Dr. Aryan Toosi pronounced 18-month-old Vincent Fiordilino dead at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center.
Five hours later, a medical examiner found the toddler breathing in the morgue.
Vincent was airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital and discharged in April with severe brain injury requiring lifelong care.
Attorney John Brewer intends to file a lawsuit against Dr. Toosi and the hospital.
A GoFundMe campaign raised over $24,000 toward Vincent’s medical expenses.

History

Historical Context

The 1999 Institute of Medicine report 'To Err Is Human' exposed thousands of preventable deaths caused by medical mistakes across U.S. hospitals. The report estimated 44,000 to 98,000 annual fatalities and spurred the Department of Health and Human Services to fund patient-safety initiatives. Today, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center’s misdeclaration of infant Vincent Fiordilino’s death mirrors the report’s warning, prompting the Joint Commission to revisit its death-verification standards. If hospitals adopt stricter double-check protocols, future lawsuits like John Brewer’s may decline, reinforcing systemic safeguards against fatal oversights.

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Story summary

Dr. Aryan Toosi pronounced 18-month-old Vincent Fiordilino dead at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center.
Five hours later, a medical examiner found the toddler breathing in the morgue.
Vincent was airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital and discharged in April with severe brain injury requiring lifelong care.
Attorney John Brewer intends to file a lawsuit against Dr. Toosi and the hospital.
A GoFundMe campaign raised over $24,000 toward Vincent’s medical expenses.

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