On Super Bowl Sunday at 6:20 p.m., a toddler from Arizona, Vincent Lorenzo Fiordilino, was declared dead at an emergency room. But astonishingly, by 11:52 p.m. the same day, he was found breathing in the hospital morgue. The incident and circumstances leading to the near-drowning of the 18-month-old in a pool are being scrutinized by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
The Gilbert Police Department confirmed that Vincent survived and has since been released from the hospital. However, they recommended charging his parents with child abuse. According to a police report accessed by NBC affiliate KPNX, the parents possibly didn’t notice Vincent wandering to the pool, as both were likely impaired by marijuana and possibly other substances. Both parents admitted to smoking marijuana the morning of the event.
A county attorney spokesperson opted not to comment on the case. Meanwhile, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center conducted an internal investigation into the situation, yet has not publicly shared the findings. They also declined to answer NBC News’s questions regarding the employment status of the doctor involved.
The police report identifies the doctor as A. Toosi, who allegedly told a police officer questioning his decision to perform their duties while he handled his. Aryan Toosi is named in available reports and redirected media inquiries to lawyer Scott Holden, who didn’t respond to requests for comment.
While not named in the police report, a crowdfunding page set up by Vincent’s family details his condition and seeks aid for medical expenses. The page notes Vincent is breathing with vent support, managed to avoid severe brain damage, but will need continuous medical supervision and therapy.
The unusual sequence of events started at 5:38 p.m. on February 8 with a 911 call reporting the boy found face down in the pool. An attempt at CPR by a family member preceded his emergency transport to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, where the emergency team, including Toosi, tried to save him.
The report documents Toosi checking his phone—described by its cheetah print case—before informing the parents of their son’s declared death. Subsequently, Toosi’s interaction with a questioning police officer resulted in his insistence on registering the time of death at 6:20 p.m. Despite this, parents and officers indicated Vincent seemed to still gasp for air post-declaration.
Reports mention that at 7:18 p.m., a detective on-site heard another gasp while ER staff were moving the child to the morgue. The detective’s observations included further possible gasps witnessed an hour later. Medical staff explained these were agonal breaths caused by prior physical interventions.
At 7:23 p.m., the morgue door was shut as recorded in the report. Astonishingly, four-plus hours later, a medical examiner’s team discovered Vincent was breathing. He was immediately transported to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and his family was promptly informed of the unexpected development.