Arizona family questions their child’s medical treatment after he was pronounced dead, but later found alive in hospital morgue

GILBERT, Ariz. (NBC, KYMA) - A Gilbert family is questioning their child's medical treatment after he was pronounced dead in an emergency room, and then found alive in the hospital morgue roughly five hours later.

"They spent 18 minutes on him. 18 minutes on a baby," said Alexis Fiordilino, the child's mother.

Eighteen unforgettable minutes in a day that changed Fiordilino's life forever.

"It feels like a long time, but in retrospect, it really wasn't," Fiordilino expressed.

Last Super Bowl Sunday, her then 18-month-old son, Vincent, fell into a backyard pool.

Heavily redacted body camera video obtained from the Gilbert Police Department (GPD) shows the boy being rushed to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center where doctors and nurses took over life-saving efforts.

"He told me it would kind of just be pointless. That he'd be brain damaged, and his organs they just wouldn't be sufficient for life," Fiordilino remembered.

That's when a police officer tried to relay Vincent still had a pulse, but Dr. Aryan Toosi can be heard quickly dismissing his concern.

The toddler was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m.

"Then I go to hug him, and I feel a release of air, so now I'm like 'Oh, wait a minute,'" Fiordilino shared.

Her concerns were dismissed again.

"The worst part is he felt really cold. I was expecting him to be a little warmer, you know? But he was like ice cold," Fiordilino detailed.

Vincent was taken to the hospital morgue where he stayed for almost five hours, before a medical transporter found him alive.

"It's unimaginable. No one deserves that, and it's not fair. And they found him there alone," Fiordilino expressed.

Now, both Fiordilino and her attorney, John Brewer, have questions about her son's care.

"What made my child not worth saving? What made my child not worth the time?" Fiordilino asked.

Brewer said there are several red flags that have become apparent claiming critical test results weren't completed until after Vincent was incorrectly declared dead.

"The wake of destruction from Doctor Toosi grossly negligent and reckless decision to do what he did destroyed a lot of people's lives," Brewer remarked.

Dr. Toosi's attorney said he cannot speak to the details of the care provided due to pending litigation and patient privacy laws, but said his thoughts are with the young patient and family and he wishes the child continued healing and recovery.

A spokesperson for Mercy Gilbert Medical Center tells me they also can't comment due to the patient's privacy.

"It's a whole different life," Fiordilino said.

Vincent is now recovering from a hypoxic brain injury at home.

"It'll never be the same," Fiordilino spoke.

Time now takes on a different meaning for Fiordilino each minute as she's grateful her son is still here.

"God stepped in for me that day," Fiordilino explained.

GPD said their investigation did not establish probable cause for any criminal conduct involving medical personnel.

The case is being referred to the Arizona Attorney General's Office for their review.