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Arizona toddler declared dead after pool accident is found alive in hospital morgue
CBS News • • general
Key Points:
- An 18-month-old toddler in a Phoenix suburb was mistakenly declared dead after being found in a backyard pool but was later discovered breathing in a hospital morgue room and has since survived.
- Gilbert police are recommending negligence charges against the parents due to unsupervised pool access and marijuana odor in the home; the Maricopa County Attorney's Office is reviewing the case.
- The hospital involved, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, conducted a thorough review and described the situation as heartbreaking but declined further comment.
- Similar rare cases of people being declared dead and later found alive have occurred, mostly involving elderly individuals, highlighting challenges in death determination protocols.
- The toddler, identified as Vincent Lorenzo Fiordilino, is undergoing extensive therapy with ongoing recovery supported by a GoFundMe campaign raising about $20,000.
