Inset: Vincent Fiordilino (GoFundMe). Background: The Arizona hospital where Vincent Fiordilino was declared dead after drowning in a pool (KNXV/YouTube).
An Arizona mom says her family heard her toddler breathing while he was in the morgue, hours before the 18-month-old was found alive in the facility after drowning and being declared dead in error.
"My mother-in-law is there, and she goes over, and she hugs him," Alexus Fiordilino, mother of Vincent Fiordilino, told local ABC affiliate KNXV this week about the shocking discovery, which was first reported in July after police announced that they had recommended child abuse charges for Vincent's parents following the drowning incident.
"And she's like, 'Hey. It sounds like he's breathing.' And I was like, what? They're like, 'Oh, it's normal. It's normal that it's gonna sound like that, but that's normal,'" Alexus Fiordilino recalled.
Cops recommended the child abuse charges against Vincent's parents after allegedly discovering that they were partying and not paying attention to him when he fell into a pool and drowned during a Super Bowl party in February, according to AZ Family. Mercy Gilbert Medical Center declared the boy dead "in error," and he was found alive in the morgue hours later, his family's lawyer says.
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office reviewed whether to file felony abuse charges over the alleged events involving Vincent, who was found floating face down in a backyard swimming pool. It determined that there was no probable cause "for any criminal conduct," according to KNXV. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced in July that the Fiordilinos would not be charged.
The couple's attorney, John Brewer, says he plans to file a formal complaint this week against both the doctor who declared Vincent dead and the hospital where he was declared dead. Brewer told KNXV and other local media outlets that a review of Vincent's medical records showed test results that the doctor cited to justify ending efforts to save Vincent were not completed until after he was declared dead.
"He's like, 'Yeah, so his pH levels are too high. They're too acidic. So even if we are to bring him back, it wouldn't be a good form of life. He'd just be suffering. So, I think it's best that I call the time for it,'" Alexus Fiordilino said about the doctor.
Vincent was moved to the hospital's morgue around 7:23 p.m. and was then found alive and breathing around midnight by a medical examiner's team, according to police. Alexus Fiordilino told KNXV that the boy was "alone for five and a half hours" in the morgue before it was discovered that he was alive.
"There's no, like, happy ending," Alexus Fiordilino said, noting how Vincent has had to go through physical therapy as a result. A GoFundMe launched for the family described him as a "miracle baby" and says his mom and dad experienced "every parent's worst nightmare." The campaign's creator reports that Vincent was underwater for five minutes before he was found.
"Vincent was declared deceased," the GoFundMe said. "His devastated parents were sent home in unimaginable grief. But God had other plans. A little after 11:30 p.m., the family received a call no one expected: the medical examiner had detected a faint heartbeat. Vincent was immediately airlifted to Phoenix Children's Hospital, fighting for his life."
According to the police report, when the doctor who declared Vincent dead went to tell the parents, a nurse said, "I have a pulse," according to AZ Family. When an officer alerted the doctor, he "arrogantly" insisted that "he was the doctor, he has the medical degree, he went to medical school for a reason, and to let him do his thing," the report states.
Officers who were at the hospital allegedly saw the doctor tell hospital staff to stop performing lifesaving measures on Vincent due to the child's condition. His parents and the officers both expressed concerns that the child appeared to still be breathing, and reported seeing and hearing him taking gasps of air. Hospital staff told them it was "agonal breathing."
Prosecutors have said the doctor will not face criminal charges.
After being transported to Phoenix Children's Hospital, the family's GoFundMe said Vincent's organs began shutting down.
"His kidneys, lungs, and liver were all struggling," the fundraiser explained. "An MRI was ordered later that day to determine brain activity and potential damage. The results came back showing only two tiny 'pencil‑dot' areas of potential brain damage, and doctors expressed grave concern."
Vincent "continued to fight" and additional tests later showed no brain damage, according to the GoFundMe. "He will need extensive therapy, ongoing medical monitoring, and support for his healing organs," the fundraiser said.
Brewer told KNXV that the doctor and hospital "need to make it right for the child." A spokesperson for the Mercy Gilbert Medical Center sent the outlet a statement saying, "This is a heartbreaking situation. Out of respect for the patient's privacy, we cannot share any information, and we are unable to comment on those involved in patient care. Patient safety and exceptional care are our highest priorities."