Arizona hospital declares toddler dead before finding him alive in morgue

An 18-month-old boy, Vincent Fiordilino, was mistakenly declared dead at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center in Arizona on February 8, 2026, after being found unconscious in a swimming pool. Despite warnings from a nurse regarding a pulse and a police officer reporting sounds of breathing, the attending physician, Arian Tusi, reportedly dismissed these signs and officially declared the child dead.

Vincent was transferred to the hospital morgue, where he remained for approximately four to five hours. An employee from the medical examiner’s office discovered the toddler was still breathing and moving during a routine check. He was immediately transferred to a hospital in Phoenix for emergency intensive care.

The delay in medical intervention resulted in catastrophic, life-altering injuries. Now two years old, Vincent suffers from severe brain damage; he cannot walk, speak, sit independently, or swallow, and relies on a feeding tube for nutrition. The child's family has initiated legal action against the hospital and the physician, alleging gross negligence.