Inset: Vincent Fiordilino (GoFundMe). Background: The Arizona hospital where Vincent was initially pronounced dead after a swimming pool incident, while his parents were reportedly at a party (KNXV/YouTube).
Law enforcement officials in Arizona have urged the filing of child abuse charges against a couple accused of neglecting their toddler, who drowned in a pool while they allegedly attended a party. Astonishingly, the child was pronounced deceased at the hospital yet discovered alive in the morgue several hours later, according to authorities.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is deliberating on whether to proceed with formal child abuse charges against the parents of 18-month-old Vincent Fiordilino. Reports state that during a Super Bowl gathering in February, Vincent was found unresponsive in the family’s backyard pool, as reported by AZ Family.
A police document details that both parents, who reside in Gilbert, confessed to having smoked marijuana and not supervising their son adequately during the event. The report suggests their impaired state, potentially from marijuana or other substances, might have prevented them from noticing their son’s fall into the pool.
Emergency responders transported Vincent to a nearby hospital, where a doctor declared him dead that night. However, an eye-opening discovery was made at around 11:52 p.m. by a medical examiner’s team, who found Vincent alive and breathing, several hours after he was moved to the morgue at about 7:23 p.m., according to police reports.
A GoFundMe launched for the family describes Vincent as a “miracle baby” and says his mom and dad experienced “every parent’s worst nightmare.” The campaign’s creator reports that Vincent was underwater for five minutes before he was found.
“Vincent was declared deceased,” the GoFundMe says. “His devastated parents were sent home in unimaginable grief. But God had other plans. A little after 11:30 p.m., the family received a call no one expected: the medical examiner had detected a faint heartbeat. Vincent was immediately airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, fighting for his life.”
The police report explains that when the doctor who declared Vincent dead went to notify the parents of their son’s death, a nurse said, “I have a pulse,” according to AZ Family. When an officer alerted the doctor, he “arrogantly” insisted that “he was the doctor, he has the medical degree, he went to medical school for a reason, and to let him do his thing,” the report states.
Officers who were at the hospital allegedly saw the doctor tell hospital staff to stop performing lifesaving measures on Vincent due to the child’s condition. His parents and the officers both expressed concerns that the child appeared to still be breathing, and reported seeing and hearing him taking gasps of air. Hospital staff told them it was “agonal breathing.”
Police have said the doctor will not face criminal charges.
After being transported to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, the family’s GoFundMe says Vincent’s organs began shutting down.
“His kidneys, lungs, and liver were all struggling,” the fundraiser explains. “An MRI was ordered later that day to determine brain activity and potential damage. The results came back showing only two tiny ‘pencil‑dot’ areas of potential brain damage, and doctors expressed grave concern.”
Vincent “continued to fight” and additional tests later showed no brain damage, according to the GoFundMe. “He will need extensive therapy, ongoing medical monitoring, and support for his healing organs,” the fundraiser says.