Baby declared dead after pool drowning found alive in morgue hours later

An 18-month-old boy, Vincent Fiordilino, was declared dead after being found unconscious in a backyard pool in Gilbert, Arizona, on February 8, 2026, but was discovered alive in the hospital morgue approximately five hours later. Source: CNN

What happened

• Vincent was found floating face-down in the pool while his parents were inside. He was pulled out and given CPR by his father before emergency services arrived. Source: Infobae
• He was taken to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, where a doctor, Aryan Toosi, pronounced him dead around one hour later, despite two police officers noting possible signs of life. Source: ABC
• When asked about the observations, Dr. Toosi reportedly told an officer, "Please, do your job and let me do mine. I went to medical school for a reason." Source: El Mundo
• The child was placed in a body bag and moved to the hospital's cold room (morgue). About five hours later, a medical examiner found him breathing and he was airlifted to Phoenix Children's Hospital. Source: Infobae

The investigation

• Gilbert Police recommended charges of negligence against the parents, citing a strong smell of marijuana in the home and open doors that allowed unsupervised pool access. Source: ABC
• The Maricopa County Attorney's Office is reviewing the case. Source: CNN
• The hospital conducted an internal review, calling the situation "heartbreaking," but declined further details. Source: El Mundo
• Vincent survived but suffered severe brain damage and will need lifelong care, according to a GoFundMe page set up by the family. Source: Infobae

Key questions

• How could a child be declared dead while still alive? Experts note that agonal breathing can be mistaken for signs of life, but the case raises procedural concerns. Source: La Voz