The family of a 1-year-old child who was declared dead in an Arizona hospital only to be found alive in the morgue is planning legal action over the ordeal.
The parents of the child are facing potential charges of child abuse after admitting to using marijuana and failing to supervise the child during a Super Bowl party.
The child, Vincent Fiordilino, was found face down in a pool, and first responders transported him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
However, bodycam footage recorded a doctor declaring the child dead at 6:20 p.m., only for both the child's mother and the nurse to detect signs of life in the following minutes.
A police report noted that Vincent was "still possibly breathing based on the appearance of his stomach and chest area rising and falling," but the doctor responded "arrogantly" to concerns about the situation.
Medical officials later found the child breathing and carrying a pulse just before midnight at the morgue, and he was then flown to Phoenix Children's Hospital, where he was suffering from severe medical issues related to the near-drowning.
The child's kidneys, lungs, and liver began shutting down after he arrived at Phoenix Children's Hospital, but further testing found no brain damage.
Vincent continues to require extensive therapy, ongoing medical monitoring, and treatment as he recovers.
Neither the doctor nor the parents have been charged with a crime in relation to the incident, but the hospital has conducted a review of the care provided and is working with the family to make meaningful changes.
According to a hospital spokesperson, patient safety and exceptional care are the hospital's highest priority, and they continue to work with the family to address their concerns.
