The mother of a toddler who was mistakenly declared dead after a near-drowning incident has spoken publicly about the harrowing experience. Vincent Lorenzo Fiordilino was found submerged in his family’s pool in Gilbert, Arizona, on February 8. Following an emergency admission to a local hospital, he was pronounced dead, only to be discovered alive hours later in a mortuary.
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According to the Gilbert Police Department, Vincent was taken to Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center shortly after the incident, where medical staff attempted to resuscitate him. Tragically, despite their efforts, he was declared dead approximately one hour post-arrival. However, subsequent reports indicated that personnel from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office found Vincent still breathing when they went to collect his body.
In a recent interview with Arizona’s Family, Vincent’s mother, Alexus, shared her distress and disbelief regarding the events of that day. “I didn’t even think stuff like that happened. I thought I lost my baby and he was back,” she reflected. “There isn’t a day I don’t think about that day.” This emotional account highlights the turmoil that many families face during emergencies involving their children.
Documents shared by the family’s attorney revealed that Vincent arrived at the medical centre at approximately 6:04 p.m. on the day of the incident. According to Alexus, Dr. Aryan Toosi, the emergency room doctor, assessed Vincent’s condition and stated that his pH levels were “too high” to sustain life. The doctor reportedly decided to pronounce Vincent dead based on blood gas test results, rather than performing further tests or monitoring his core body temperature.
Dr. Toosi reportedly recorded Vincent’s time of death at 6:20 p.m., just 16 minutes after the hospital visit. This led the family to question the timeline of events, specifically when the blood test results were received and whether they were adequately addressed. Alexus recounted a moment of desperation, stating that she and other family members doubted the declaration of death and were informed by medical staff that it was “normal” for the situation to seem confusing.
The heart-wrenching turn of events unfolded later that evening when it was confirmed that Vincent was alive. Alexus expressed her gratitude but also her anger, stating, “He was alone for five and a half hours. How do you do that to a baby?” Her emotional response underscores the complicated feelings experienced by families when trust in medical professionals is tested.
In response to the incident, Dr. Toosi’s attorney, Scott Holden, released a statement emphasising the doctor’s commitment to providing high-quality care. Holden expressed that the doctor is concerned for Vincent’s wellbeing and is focused on his continued healing. However, citing ongoing litigation and patient privacy concerns, specific details regarding the care Vincent received are not currently available.
Alexus believes that the outcome would have been markedly different had Dr. Toosi awaited the complete test results before making a decision about Vincent’s status. She expressed feeling let down by the medical professionals who she believed were obligated to safeguard her child’s life. “We trusted the professionals that took an oath, made a promise, that they would do everything they could,” she stated.
Following the incident, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announced in late July that police had initially recommended charges against both of Vincent’s parents. However, prosecutors ultimately decided that the case did not meet the necessary standard for prosecution, indicating that proving the parents failed to recognise a significant risk would be a daunting task.
Prosecutors clarified that to file charges, they would need to ensure that any failure on the part of the parents constituted a serious lapse in judgement, significantly deviating from what would be expected of a reasonable person in similar circumstances. This added an additional layer of complexity to an already tragic situation.
As the story continues to unfold, the Fiordilino family faces ongoing challenges while grappling with the traumatic impact of their experience. Vincent’s eventual recovery is a small flicker of hope, yet the unresolved questions surrounding the actions of medical staff cast a long shadow over the ordeal. The Fiordilinos’ experience serves as a reminder of the importance of thorough medical assessments, particularly in critical situations involving children.