Mother Speaks Out After Toddler Found Alive in Hospital Morgue

The mother of an 18-month-old toddler who was mistakenly pronounced dead in an emergency room and later found breathing in a hospital morgue is speaking out about the harrowing ordeal. In a recent interview, Alexus Fiordilino detailed the events of February 8, when she and her husband rushed their son, Vincent, to Mercy Gilbert Medical Centre in Gilbert, Arizona, after he was found face down in the family swimming pool.

According to reports, the child had been underwater for approximately five minutes. Upon arriving at the hospital, emergency room doctor Aryan Toosi evaluated the toddler and informed the family that his pH levels were too acidic. The doctor stated that even if the child were revived, he would suffer from a poor quality of life, and subsequently called the time of death at 6:20 p.m. while requesting that staff stop CPR.

Alexus Fiordilino recalled having to say a heartbreaking goodbye to her son, noting how cold he felt. Although a family member thought they heard the toddler breathing afterward, hospital staff attributed the sounds to gonal breathing, which can happen when the brain lacks oxygen. More than five hours later, medical examiner staff preparing to transport the body discovered that the boy was still alive in the hospital morgue.

Vincent was immediately rushed by ambulance to Phoenix Children's Hospital, where an MRI scan later confirmed he sustained extensive brain damage that will require lifelong care. Speaking publicly about the incident, Alexus Fiordilino expressed deep anguish over her son being left alone in the morgue for over five hours. She shared photos of Vincent in physical therapy, noting that the baby she brought home is entirely different from the one she had before the accident.

An investigation into the incident has drawn scrutiny regarding the medical timeline and decisions made in the emergency room. John Brewer, the family's attorney, pointed out that Dr. Toosi cited a blood gas test to justify his decision to declare the toddler dead and to forgo taking the child's core body temperature or performing warming measures. However, medical records indicate the test results were not received until 6:38 p.m., roughly 18 minutes after the time of death was officially logged.

Legal representatives for both the hospital and the physician have responded to the ongoing concerns. Dignity Health, which operates Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, released a statement describing the situation as heartbreaking, though they noted they cannot comment on specific patient care due to privacy laws. Scott Holden, an attorney representing Dr. Toosi, stated that his client's thoughts remain with the family and that his career has been dedicated to providing safe and compassionate care.

The Gilbert Police Department investigated the incident, with Sergeant Jordan Truckenbrod confirming that the findings did not establish probable cause for criminal conduct by medical personnel. Consequently, no criminal charges were forwarded, and the case has been referred to the Arizona Attorney General's Office for further review.