“I THOUGHT I’D LOST MY BABY…” — MOTHER SPEAKS OUT AFTER HER 18-MONTH-OLD SON WAS DECLARED DEAD, ONLY TO BE FOUND ALIVE IN A HOSPITAL MORGUE FIVE HOURS LATER

A mother has revealed the unimaginable heartbreak of saying goodbye to her baby son — only to discover hours later that he was still alive. Now, she is demanding answers about the medical decisions that changed her family’s life forever.

Alexus Fiordilino is speaking publicly for the first time about the terrifying ordeal involving her 18-month-old son, Vincent, who was pronounced dead at a hospital in Gilbert, Arizona, after being found unresponsive in a swimming pool.

But in a shocking turn of events, the toddler was discovered breathing inside the hospital morgue more than five hours later.

The incident happened on February 8, 2026, during a Super Bowl Sunday gathering. Vincent had been found floating face-down in a family swimming pool, prompting desperate efforts to save his life.

First responders performed CPR before rushing the little boy to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, where medical staff continued treating him.

His mother remembers desperately hoping the hospital would be able to bring her child back.

Instead, she was given devastating news: Vincent had been declared dead.

Alexus said she trusted the medical professionals caring for her son and believed they had done everything possible to save him. She recalled being told that his condition was so severe that further resuscitation would only prolong his suffering.

As she said goodbye, however, she remembers feeling that something was not right.

She later told NBC News that she thought she heard her baby breathing when she hugged him, but she relied on the doctor’s explanation that the sounds were simply his final gasps.

Then came the news no parent could ever expect.

More than five hours after Vincent was pronounced dead, a member of the medical examiner’s team arrived to collect his body — and discovered that the toddler was still breathing.

His parents were informed immediately, and Vincent was rushed to Phoenix Children’s Hospital for emergency treatment.

Alexus recalled the moment she and her husband learned their son was alive.

The couple screamed with relief, cried and struggled to comprehend what had just happened. After believing they had lost their child, they were suddenly being told there was still a chance to see him again.

But the relief was accompanied by fear, confusion and a flood of unanswered questions.

“I didn’t even think stuff like that happened. I thought I lost my baby and he was back,” Alexus told AZFamily.

“There isn’t a day I don’t think about that day.”

QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM

As the family tries to move forward, questions have emerged about the medical decisions made before Vincent was pronounced dead.

Police body-camera footage and medical records reviewed by ABC15 and other news organizations have raised concerns about the timeline of events inside the emergency department.

According to records cited by AZFamily, Vincent arrived at Mercy Gilbert at approximately 6:04 p.m. An arterial blood gas test was ordered shortly afterward, but the test was canceled. Blood samples were collected, and the toddler was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m.

The test results reportedly did not become available until 6:38 p.m. — 18 minutes after the time of death recorded by the doctor.

The family’s attorney has questioned how information from those results could have informed the medical decision if the results had not yet been received.

Police records also describe officers observing what appeared to be signs of breathing after Vincent had been declared dead. Hospital staff reportedly explained that the sounds could be related to the resuscitation efforts.

The family’s attorney believes the circumstances warrant further scrutiny and has said the family plans to pursue a formal complaint against the doctor and hospital.

These concerns have not yet resulted in a final determination of medical negligence, and the allegations remain subject to review.

“HE WAS ALONE”

For Alexus, the thought that her little boy spent hours in the morgue before anyone discovered he was alive is among the most painful parts of the ordeal.

She has spoken about feeling devastated that Vincent was alone during those hours, believing he had already died.

The experience has left a lasting mark on the family — not only because of what happened that night, but also because of the uncertainty surrounding Vincent’s recovery.

According to his family’s attorney, the toddler has suffered severe brain injuries and faces significant ongoing health challenges. He is now back home with his family, but his recovery remains difficult, and he may need lifelong care.

His mother says her son is getting better, but the child she brought home is not the same baby she remembers before the accident.

For the family, the discovery that Vincent was alive was not the end of the nightmare. It was the beginning of a long and uncertain journey to help him recover.

 INVESTIGATIONS AND THE HOSPITAL’S RESPONSE

The case has prompted questions about both the treatment Vincent received and the circumstances surrounding the near-drowning.

Gilbert police previously said they had referred the matter for prosecutorial review concerning the parents’ supervision of the toddler. In July, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced that the parents would not face charges in connection with the incident.

Separately, police have forwarded information concerning the hospital events to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. As of the latest reports, the office had not decided whether to undertake a review.

Mercy Gilbert Medical Center described the situation as heartbreaking and said it had conducted a review of the care provided, with the aim of learning what happened and strengthening patient care.

The doctor’s attorney said his client’s thoughts were with Vincent and his family, and that he wished the child continued healing and recovery. The attorney declined to discuss the details while the matter remained under review.

No final finding of wrongdoing has been announced.

 A MOTHER STILL SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS

Months after that terrible night, Alexus is left trying to care for her son while confronting memories that continue to haunt her.

She has questioned whether different decisions in the emergency room might have changed Vincent’s outcome, while her family continues to navigate the consequences of his injuries.

Her story has raised difficult questions about medical decision-making, communication with families and the importance of carefully assessing a patient’s condition before declaring death.

For Alexus, however, the issue is deeply personal.

She went to the hospital believing its medical professionals would do everything possible to save her child. She left believing he was gone — only to learn hours later that he was still alive.

Now, as Vincent continues his recovery, his family is seeking answers about how such a devastating sequence of events could have happened.

Their ordeal is a reminder of the unimaginable fear parents face when a child’s life hangs in the balance — and of the lasting consequences when critical questions remain unanswered.