Full Breakdown
Toddler Declared Dead at Arizona Hospital Found Alive Hours Later
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Misdiagnosis and Discovery in the Morgue
On February 8, 18-month-old Vincent Lorenzo Fiordilino was rescued from a backyard pool in Gilbert, Arizona, and taken to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center. Hospital staff pronounced him dead that evening. About five hours later, a Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office transporter entered the cold-room morgue, saw movement in the child’s extremities, and police notified the family that he was still breathing. He was airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital for continued care.
Background & Context
The incident occurred during a Super Bowl gathering. First responders performed CPR before transport. Investigations involve the Gilbert Police Department, Maricopa County prosecutors, and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
Timeline
- February 8 – Emergency call; child found floating face-down.
- Evening – Arrives at Mercy Gilbert; physician declares death.
- Hours later – Medical examiner staff sees limb movement in morgue.
- Later – Transferred to Phoenix Children’s Hospital; discharged in April with lasting neurological deficits.
- July – Prosecutors decline child-abuse charges against the parents.
- Upcoming – Family’s attorney John Brewer plans a lawsuit against Dr. Aryan Toosi and the hospital; AG review pending.
Data & Statistics
- Victim age: 18 months.
- Time between death declaration and discovery of life: ~5 hours.
- Outcome: severe, permanent brain injury; inability to swallow, frequent seizures, and limited motor function.
Official Statements & Responses
- Mercy Gilbert Medical Center called the situation “heartbreaking,” citing patient privacy and reaffirming “patient safety and exceptional care.”
- Gilbert Police Department found no probable cause for criminal conduct by medical staff and forwarded the case to the Attorney General’s Office.
- Maricopa County prosecutors said the evidence did not meet the standard for child-abuse charges.
Criticism & Opposition
- John Brewer, representing the Fiordilinos, alleges the physician’s decision was based on incomplete lab results.
- Alexus Fiordilino contends that waiting for those results could have altered the outcome.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Police documents label the death declaration an “error,” while hospital staff initially described observed breathing as “agonal.” The family’s attorney says an arterial blood-gas test ordered at admission was canceled, with results arriving after the death declaration—a detail absent from the police report. Initial police recommendations for child-abuse charges were later withdrawn by prosecutors without public explanation.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Underneath the thick sheet, all four extremities — his arms, his legs — are moving,” — John Brewer, attorney.
- “Dr. Toosi’s thoughts are with the young patient and family, and he wishes the child continued healing and recovery.” — Scott Holden, lawyer for Dr. Toosi.
What’s Next
John Brewer indicated a formal complaint against Dr. Toosi and Mercy Gilbert will be filed within the week. The Arizona Attorney General’s Office has been asked to review the case for possible felony child-abuse charges, though no decision has been announced. The family continues to seek compensation for Vincent’s lifelong medical needs through the pending lawsuit.