A mum whose toddler son was found breathing in a hospital morgue just hours after being declared dead has described the traumatic moment and how there is ‘no happy ending’ to their story.
Alexus Fiordilino’s 18-month-old son, Vincent, was found floating face down in their family swimming pool in Gilbert, Arizona, on February 8.
Alexus and her husband, Angelo, tried to save their boy’s life by performing lifesaving measures before he was rushed to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center.
Roughly one hour after he arrived at the hospital, however, Vincent was pronounced dead by emergency room doctor Aryan Toosi.
Speaking to ABC 15, Alexus said: ‘When I got to the hospital, I thought, “okay”, these people are going to help me.’
But, she claims that she was told: ‘I had to say goodbye. Do you know how hard that is?’
More than five hours after Vincent was declared dead, he was then found alive in the hospital morgue when medical examiner staff arrived to transport his body.
‘He ended up in the morgue,’ Alexus said. ‘He was alone.’
After being transferred by ambulance to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, an MRI confirmed that Vincent had suffered extensive brain damage and as a result he will need lifelong care.
Alexus and her family are now questioning the decisions made by the doctors that day.
She recalled how Dr Aryan Toosi, who was the emergency room doctor that spoke to her shortly after Vincent arrived, said his blood was too acidic and even if he could be revived, he would not have a good quality of life.
‘He came back, like maybe not even five, 10 minutes later and he’s like, “Yeah, so his pH levels are too high. They’re too acidic. So even if we are to bring him back, it wouldn’t be a good form of life. He’d be suffering. So I think it’s best that I call the time for it,”‘ she explained.
Alexus said that she then held Vincent and said goodbye, describing how he felt ‘so cold’.
But, when her mother-in-law went to hug the toddler, she said that she thought she heard him breathing before medical staff said it was normal and the sound could be agonal breathing – involuntary gasps that can occur when the brain is severely deprived of oxygen.
Others, however, seemed to notice that the child was breathing before Dr Toosi pronounced him dead, according to a police report obtained by the Daily Mail.
An officer reportedly said that he heard a nurse saying ‘I have a pulse’ before hospital staffers attempted ‘to revive Vincent’.
But, in his report, the officer stated: ‘Toosi arrogantly told me he was the doctor, he has a medical degree, he went to medical school for a reason, and to let him do his thing.’
Dr Toosi then told his staff to stop CPR and other life saving measures on the child, before saying: ‘As long as there are no objections, I’d like to call time of death,’ the officer recounted.’
After declaring Vincent’s time of death at 6.20pm, Alexus and Angelo were told to say goodbye six minutes later.
A female officer later reported hearing what appeared to be another gasp as Vincent was being moved to the morgue.
Medical records have also raised questions about the timing of a blood gas test used to support the doctor’s decision.
The family’s lawyer, John Brewer, said Dr Toosi cited Vincent’s blood gas results when explaining his decision to declare the toddler dead.
Records indicate the doctor called the time of death at 6.20pm, but the test results were not received until 6.38pm, 18 minutes later.
The documents also state that the doctor did not take Vincent’s core body temperature or carry out warming measures, partly because of the blood gas test.
Alexus said: ‘He was alone. He was alone for five-and-a-half hours. How do you do that to a baby?’
She also shared a photograph of Vincent in a wheelchair during physical therapy, describing the lasting impact of the ordeal.
‘But it, like, doesn’t end,’ she said. ‘There’s no, like, happy ending.’
Dignity Health, which operates the hospital, described the situation as ‘heartbreaking’ in a statement to ABC 15.
‘Out of respect for the patient’s privacy, we cannot share any information and we are unable to comment on those involved in patient care,’ a spokesperson said.
Dr Toosi’s lawyer, Scott Holden, told the Daily Mail that his client’s thoughts were with Vincent and his family.
”His commitment to delivering high-quality care has always been rooted in a desire to provide healing, safety and comfort to his community,’ the lawyer said.
‘Due to pending litigation and patient privacy laws, we cannot speak to the details of the care provided at this time.’
Sergeant Jordan Truckenbrod, of the Gilbert Police Department, said the investigation had not established probable cause for criminal conduct.
The case is now being referred to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office for review, although police said there was no estimated timeline for its conclusion.
Metro has reached out to Dignity Health and Gilbert Police for comment.