An extraordinary and heartbreaking case is under investigation in the U.S. state of Arizona after an 18-month-old boy, Vincent Lorenzo Fiordino, was mistakenly declared dead following a near-drowning incident—only to be discovered alive hours later in the morgue.
According to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred on Super Bowl Sunday. At approximately 5:38 p.m. local time, emergency responders received a call reporting that the toddler had been found face down in the family’s swimming pool. A relative immediately began performing CPR before paramedics arrived, and the child was rushed to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center.
Despite extensive efforts by medical staff, a physician officially pronounced the toddler dead at around 6:20 p.m. However, police records later indicated that the child continued to show signs of breathing even after he had been declared deceased.
According to the investigation, at 7:18 p.m., a detective at the hospital reported hearing “another distinct gasp” while the child’s body was being prepared for transfer to the morgue. Other staff members also noted what appeared to be breathing, or agonal respirations—a type of irregular breathing that can sometimes occur in critically ill patients following resuscitation attempts.
The most astonishing moment came at 11:52 p.m., when personnel from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office arrived at the morgue and discovered that Vincent was still alive. His family was immediately notified, and the toddler was rushed to a children’s hospital in Phoenix for emergency treatment.
Authorities are also investigating the circumstances that led to the incident. Police say they are considering possible charges against the parents, including child abuse, alleging they may have been under the influence of marijuana when the near-drowning occurred. According to the police report, both parents acknowledged using cannabis earlier that day.
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center has confirmed that it launched an internal investigation into the incident, though the findings have not been made public. Investigators also reported that the physician who pronounced the child dead later disagreed with police concerns and defended the decision, declining to reconsider the original determination despite questions about the toddler’s condition.
Vincent remains under close medical supervision. Doctors say he is currently on a ventilator but has fortunately avoided severe brain damage. He now faces a long road to recovery, requiring extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to determine how the toddler was left without adequate supervision and why his condition was mistakenly believed to be fatal.
