An 18-Month-Old Toddler Discovered Alive in a Morgue After Being Pronounced Dead Following a Swimming Pool Accident in Gilbert, Arizona
An 18-month-old toddler was found breathing inside a morgue hours after being declared dead following a swimming pool accident, according to an account published by The Arizona Republic. Alexus Fiordilino, the mother of the child named Vincent, stated that family members noticed the toddler was still breathing while hospital staff attributed the movement to agonal breathing. The incident occurred on February 8 during a family Super Bowl gathering at a home in Gilbert, Arizona, outside Phoenix, where the child was found face-down in a swimming pool.
Hospital Response and the Pronouncement of Death at Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center
Family members called 911 and administered CPR before emergency responders transported Vincent to Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, according to a police report cited by The Arizona Republic. Fiordilino stated that a doctor entered the room and informed the parents that in such cases, families often request continued resuscitation efforts despite poor survival prospects. The parents asked medical staff to continue working to save the child. A police officer noted that a pulse might have been detected in another room, prompting an argument between the officer and the attending physician over whether it was appropriate to speak with the family at that stage, according to the mother’s account.
Minutes later, the physician returned and reported that the child’s blood pH levels indicated he would not have a viable quality of life if revived. Accepting this assessment to prevent further suffering, the family agreed, and the doctor pronounced the child dead at 6:20 p.m., as documented in the police report.
Discovery Inside the Morgue and Transfer to Phoenix Children’s Hospital
While family members said their final goodbyes, Vincent’s grandmother embraced the child and felt what she believed was breathing or air being expelled. Medical personnel explained that the movement was agonal breathing, described as a last breath after death. Trusting the medical explanation, the family left the room, but later a detective entered and informed them that personnel from the medical examiner’s office had found the child moving slightly and breathing faintly.
The forensic team arrived at 11:52 p.m. to collect the child and discovered him breathing on a table, covered by a sheet or placed inside a body bag, according to police records. Vincent was subsequently airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Fiordilino expressed severe distress over the handling of the case, stating that warnings from family members who sensed the child was alive were dismissed.
Legal Action and Statements From Defense Counsel
Dr. Aryan Toosi treated the child at the hospital, according to The New York Times. Scott Holden, an attorney representing Dr. Toosi, along with a spokesperson for hospital owner Dignity Health, declined to discuss the specifics of the case, citing patient privacy laws and pending litigation.
John B. Brewer, the attorney representing the family, announced plans to file a lawsuit as early as the following week. Brewer stated that if Vincent had continued to receive medical care during the approximately four hours he spent in the morgue, his subsequent health outcomes might have been significantly less severe, as reported by The New York Times.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Gilbert Hospital Incident
What specific date did the pool accident occur?
The incident took place on February 8 during a family gathering for the Super Bowl in Gilbert, Arizona, according to police records cited by The Arizona Republic.
Which medical facilities treated the toddler?
The child was initially taken to Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m., and was later transferred by helicopter to Phoenix Children’s Hospital after being found breathing in the morgue.
Who is representing the family in the planned legal proceedings?
John B. Brewer is the attorney representing the family and has stated that a lawsuit will be filed against the physician involved, as reported by The New York Times.
What explanation did medical staff initially give for the child’s movements?
Hospital staff told family members who felt the child breathing that the movements were agonal breathing, which they described as a last breath after death.