Gilbert toddler found alive in morgue after hospital error
An 18-month-old Gilbert boy was declared dead at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center on Feb. 8, 2026, but the shocking toddler found alive morgue case unfolded when he was discovered still breathing nearly six hours later, after nurses, parents, and police reported gasps and a possible pulse. Newly released 911 calls and a police report detail how the error happened and why prosecutors are now reviewing the case.
Key Takeaways
- Vincent Lorenzo Fiordilino, 18 months, was pulled from a backyard pool during a Super Bowl party and declared dead at 6:20 p.m.
- Staff and officers reported gasps and a possible pulse before he was moved to the hospital morgue around 7:23 p.m.
- Medical examiner personnel found him breathing at 11:52 p.m. and he was airlifted to Phoenix Children's Hospital.
- The Maricopa County Attorney's Office is investigating; Gilbert police say the child survived and has been released.
According to AZ Family, police released the report and emergency recordings on July 3, 2026. They show how Vincent Lorenzo Fiordilino was discovered floating face down in his family's pool for roughly 10 to 15 minutes during a Super Bowl gathering.
A frantic 911 call captured family members performing CPR as first responders rushed to the scene. The boy was taken to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, where emergency physician Dr. Aryan Toosi pronounced him dead at 6:20 p.m. and his parents were asked to say goodbye, NBC News reported.
What Did the 911 Call and Police Report Reveal?
The newly public records describe a breakdown that unfolded in real time. As Dr. Toosi prepared to notify the parents, a nurse said, "I have a pulse," according to the police report cited by AZ Family.
When a Gilbert police officer relayed the concern, the doctor reportedly insisted he had the medical training to make the call and told staff to stop resuscitation efforts. Both parents and officers noted repeated gasps; nurses attributed them to agonal breathing.
NBC News reported that a detective heard "another audible gasp" around 7:18 p.m. as staff moved the boy toward the hospital's "cold room"—the morgue, kept between 36 and 39 degrees. An hour later, the same detective reported seeing what appeared to be another gasp or air release.
How Was the Toddler Found Alive in the Morgue?
Despite those warnings, Vincent was placed in the morgue and the door was closed at 7:23 p.m., NBC News reported. More than four hours passed before the medical examiner's transport team arrived at 11:52 p.m. to retrieve the body.
They found him breathing. The family was notified immediately, and the boy was airlifted to Phoenix Children's Hospital for further care. AZ Family reported that while detectives questioned his parents at a police station, they learned their son was still alive—roughly five hours after they had been told he was gone.
Gilbert police told NBC News that "the child ultimately survived and has been released from the hospital." AZ Family cited the latest police update that he may have brain damage, though his long-term prognosis remains unclear.
Who Is Investigating and Why Does It Matter?
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office is now reviewing what happened during the nearly six-hour window between the death pronouncement and the morgue discovery, NBC News reported. Mercy Gilbert Medical Center confirmed it conducted an internal review, though details have not been made public.
Cases like this raise urgent questions about death determination protocols, communication between clinical staff and law enforcement, and what happens when frontline witnesses challenge a physician's call. For more unsettling real-world twists, see our Bizarre World coverage.