Hospitals are places people turn to when they need help the most. Families arrive frightened, hoping that the people in white coats will have answers, solutions, and perhaps a little reassurance that everything will be okay. But when the unthinkable happens, the last thing anyone expects is to question whether the medical team got something as fundamental as a patient's condition right.
For Alexus Fiordilino and her husband, Angelo, a terrifying afternoon took a turn neither parent could have imagined. Their 18-month-old son, Vincent, had been found face down in the family's swimming pool in February. The toddler had reportedly been underwater for around five minutes, according to a GoFundMe page set up for the family. His parents immediately began performing life-saving measures before rushing him to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center in Arizona.
18-month-old Vincent Fiordilino was found underwater in his family's swimming pool and rushed to the hospital, where a doctor pronounced him beyond help
Now, the couple arrived at the emergency room believing their little boy was in the hands of people who could help him. Alexus later recalled telling herself that the hospital would help them. However, emergency room doctor Aryan Toosi eventually informed them that Vincent could not be saved. The mother was left facing the unimaginable prospect of saying goodbye to her baby.
According to Alexus, the doctor explained that Vincent's blood pH levels were too acidic, suggesting that even if medical staff managed to revive him, he would likely have a poor quality of life and experience considerable suffering. He allegedly told the family that it would be "best that I call the time for it". He then asked his staff whether anyone objected to stopping CPR before officially recording the time.
But not everyone in the family was convinced that Vincent had stopped breathing. Alexus said her mother-in-law believed she could still hear sounds coming from the toddler. Hospital staff reportedly explained that these were agonal breaths, which are involuntary gasps that can occur when the brain is severely deprived of oxygen. For the grieving family, however, the sounds raised questions that would become even more troubling later.
Several hours passed after Vincent was pronounced beyond help. Then, hospital medical examiner staff arrived at the morgue to prepare him for transport. What they discovered was something nobody should have had to experience under those circumstances. Vincent was still alive, and he was subsequently taken by ambulance to Phoenix Children's Hospital for further treatment.
The discovery left Alexus struggling to comprehend what had happened. Her son had spent approximately five and a half hours in the morgue before staff found him alive. "He was alone. He was alone for five-and-a-half hours. How do you do that to a baby?" she said in an interview with ABC 15. It's hard to imagine the questions running through a parent's mind after hearing news like that.
An MRI scan at Phoenix Children's Hospital later revealed that Vincent had suffered extensive brain damage. He would require lifelong care, turning an already devastating experience into a long-term challenge for the entire family. While finding him alive offered a glimmer of hope, the extent of his injuries meant that the situation was far from a happy ending.
Five and a half hours later, hospital staff discovered Vincent was still alive in the morgue and transferred him to another hospital for treatment
The circumstances surrounding the doctor's original decision have since attracted official attention. The Arizona Attorney General's Office has opened an investigation, with particular questions emerging about the blood gas test used to support the decision to stop resuscitation.
According to the family's lawyer, John Brewer, Dr. Toosi referred to Vincent's blood gas results when explaining why he believed further treatment would not help the toddler. However, there appears to be a discrepancy in the recorded timeline. Documents reportedly show that Vincent's time of passing was logged as 6:20 p.m., while the relevant blood gas test results were not received until 6:38 p.m.
That would mean the results arrived 18 minutes after the recorded time, raising questions about how they factored into the doctor's decision. Records also suggest that Vincent's core body temperature was not taken and that warming measures were not performed, partly because of the blood gas test.
Dignity Health, the organization that operates Mercy Gilbert Medical Centre, described the incident as "heartbreaking" in a statement to ABC 15. However, citing patient privacy, its spokesperson declined to discuss the details of the care provided or the people involved. Dr. Toosi's lawyer, Scott Holden, also said his client's thoughts were with Vincent and his family.
An MRI revealed extensive brain damage, and the Arizona Attorney General's Office launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his treatment
He added that the doctor's commitment to providing quality care had always been rooted in a desire to offer healing, safety, and comfort to the community. Due to pending litigation and privacy laws, he said they could not comment further. Meanwhile, the investigation has not established that a crime took place. Sergeant Jordan Truckenbrod of the Gilbert Police Department confirmed that authorities had not found probable cause for criminal conduct.
For Alexus and Angelo, however, the questions surrounding their son's treatment remain deeply personal. What happened during those five hours, how the original medical decision was reached, and whether anything could have been done differently are matters that an investigation will hopefully help clarify.
One can only guess what might have happened if the doctors hadn’t given up right away
Netizens expressed relief that the little boy was still alive, saying they were grateful hospital staff eventually discovered him and that there was still a chance for him to receive care
