An Arizona mother is demanding answers after her 18-month-old son was declared dead following a pool accident, only to be found alive hours later inside a hospital morgue. The harrowing incident, which took place at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center on February 8, 2026, has left the family devastated and seeking justice.
Alexus Fiordilino, 30, and her husband Angelo are now focused on their son Vincent's recovery while pursuing legal action against the healthcare providers they say failed him. The toddler suffered severe brain injury due to oxygen deprivation and requires intensive, lifelong care.
A timeline of negligence
Emergency responders rushed to the Fiordilino home after Vincent was pulled from a pool during a Super Bowl party. A relative performed CPR before paramedics arrived. At the hospital, ER physician Dr. Aryan Toosi ended resuscitation efforts at 6:20 p.m., just 18 minutes after they began. According to the family's attorney, John Brewer, Dr. Toosi cited lab results to justify stopping CPR—but those blood tests were not completed until after Vincent was pronounced dead.
Despite a police officer reporting a faint pulse and a detective recording a gasp at 7:18 p.m., hospital staff dismissed these signs as agonal breathing from CPR. At 7:23 p.m., Vincent was placed in a morgue freezer kept near 36°F. An hour later, a detective returning to photograph the body noticed signs of breathing, but it wasn't until 11:52 p.m. that transport workers discovered Vincent alive.
Vincent was airlifted to Phoenix Children's Hospital, where specialists treated him for severe oxygen deprivation. The Fiordilinos were reunited with their son, but the ordeal was far from over.
Legal and institutional response
The family's attorneys have filed formal complaints with the Gilbert Police Department, which forwarded findings to the Arizona Attorney General. A civil lawsuit alleging gross negligence is being prepared. State authorities are also reviewing hospital protocols to prevent similar failures.
“God intervened for me that day. God intervened for my son,” Alexus said, her faith unwavering despite the trauma. The family is now navigating the complexities of specialized home care while awaiting the outcome of the investigation.
This case has sparked broader concerns about emergency room procedures, especially in moments when quick decisions can have life-altering consequences. For Latino families across the Southwest, where extreme heat and pool safety are pressing issues, this story hits close to home.
As the legal battle unfolds, the Fiordilinos are determined to ensure that no other family endures what they have. “We want answers,” Alexus said. “We want to know how this could happen to our baby.”
