Disturbing 911 recordings capture the frantic moments an 18-month-old boy was found face down in his family’s backyard swimming pool before he was mistakenly declared dead and left inside a hospital morgue for more than five hours.
Vincent Lorenzo Fiordilino has since survived the horrifying ordeal and been released from the hospital, according to the latest reports. Police, however, have recommended felony child abuse charges against both of his parents, while the hospital faces serious questions over how the toddler was declared dead despite apparent signs of life.
The nightmare began at around 5:30 p.m. on February 8 at the family’s home in Gilbert, Arizona, while Vincent’s parents and other relatives were gathered for Super Bowl Sunday.
Police allege that Vincent’s parents, Alexus and Angelo Fiordilino, had been smoking marijuana in the garage before the toddler wandered outside and gained access to the pool.
Both parents later tested positive for THC, and responding officers reported smelling a strong odor of marijuana coming from the garage.
The family realized Vincent was missing and began desperately searching for him before Alexus, 29, discovered her son floating face down in the freezing water.
She pulled the toddler from the pool and began performing CPR as relatives made two 911 calls within seconds of each other.
“I just found my nephew in the pool,” one family member told an emergency dispatcher as screaming could be heard in the background.
When the operator asked whether the toddler was breathing, the relative replied, “We’re not sure.”
A second caller struggled to explain what had happened as several people screamed around her.
“I’m calling, I’m calling,” the woman shouted. “I need an ambulance.”
“My nephew, my nephew was in a fall in the pool,” she added.
The family said they did not know how long Vincent had been underwater. The toddler was reportedly vomiting foam as relatives attempted CPR.
At one point during the emergency call, Vincent’s aunt told the dispatcher that he was “starting to respond.”
The first call lasted five minutes and 51 seconds before officers arrived. The second lasted approximately four minutes.
Vincent was rushed to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, where emergency workers continued trying to save him.
However, Dr. Aryan Toosi pronounced the toddler dead at 6:20 p.m.
Police records later raised alarming questions about that decision.
One officer reported hearing a nurse announce, “I have a pulse,” before other hospital workers began attempting to revive Vincent.
The officer said he entered another room, where the doctor was speaking to Vincent’s parents, and told him what the nurse had said.
According to the police report, the doctor allegedly responded by saying that he was the physician, had attended medical school for a reason and should be allowed to handle the situation.
Dr. Toosi then returned to the emergency room, directed hospital workers to stop lifesaving efforts and officially pronounced Vincent dead.
The toddler’s devastated parents were allowed to say goodbye to their son, but both reportedly told officers they believed Vincent was still breathing because he appeared to be gasping for air.
An officer also reported seeing the boy’s chest and stomach rise and fall.
Hospital employees allegedly told the officer the movements were caused by gas escaping from Vincent’s body.
Vincent was then taken to the hospital’s morgue, where he remained inside a cold room for approximately five and a half hours.
A female officer who later entered the morgue reported hearing “another audible gasp” from the child nearly an hour after he had been declared dead.
“I again observed what appeared to be a gasp or air release,” the officer wrote in the report.
The stunning truth was finally discovered at approximately 11:52 p.m., when a medical examiner arrived to collect Vincent’s body and detected a faint heartbeat.
Vincent was still alive.
The toddler was immediately removed from the morgue and airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where doctors began treating him for organ failure and injuries caused by the near-drowning.
His kidneys, lungs and liver were initially struggling, and his family was warned that the following 72 hours would be critical.
Initial testing reportedly showed two tiny areas of possible brain damage, creating grave concerns about Vincent’s future.
However, a follow-up MRI performed on February 12 brought the family the news they had been praying for.
“By the grace of God, the results showed no brain damage,” the family wrote on a fundraising page. “Only a small area of bruising was found, which doctors believe may cause minor balance issues — issues that Vincent’s young brain is expected to compensate for as he grows.”
Some reports citing police records have described Vincent’s neurological injuries as permanent, while the family’s fundraising page says later testing found no serious brain damage beyond a small bruise. He will still require therapy, continued medical monitoring and support while his organs recover.
Vincent has since been released from the hospital and continues his recovery.
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center said it launched an internal investigation following the extraordinary mistake.
“This is a heartbreaking situation,” the hospital said in a statement.
“We immediately conducted a thorough review of all aspects of the care provided to learn what happened and to make meaningful changes to strengthen our care.”
The hospital said it could not discuss additional details because of patient privacy but added that it continued to work with Vincent’s family and their representatives.
“Patient safety and exceptional care is our highest priority,” the statement said.
The doctor who declared Vincent dead is not currently facing criminal charges, according to reports.
Meanwhile, the Gilbert Police Department recommended one felony count of child or vulnerable adult abuse against both Alexus and Angelo Fiordilino.
“Gilbert PD detectives conducted a thorough investigation regarding the circumstances surrounding this incident,” the department said.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office received the charging recommendation on June 3 and was still reviewing the case as of the latest update. No formal decision has been made on whether either parent will be charged.
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