Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns examines the rare phenomenon known as the Lazarus effect, or autoresuscitation, where signs of life return after a person has been declared dead. He starts with the case that’s been making headlines: 18-month-old Vincent Lorenzo Fiordilino, pronounced dead after a drowning, then found alive hours later in a hospital morgue. Dr. Crowns explains how death is actually determined, what might cause circulation to kick back in after resuscitation has already stopped, and the safeguards hospitals use to prevent a person from being declared dead prematurely. He also shares other reported cases of people showing signs of life at funeral homes and explains how he knows the person on his autopsy table is, in fact, actually dead.

Highlights

(0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns

(00:30) The case of 18-month-old Vincent Lorenzo Fiordilino, who was found alive in a hospital morgue

(1:15) Childhood drowning risks and why crowded gatherings around swimming pools can become dangerous

(2:45) What happens to the body during drowning and the five stages that can lead to death

(6:15) Vincent’s resuscitation, declaration of death, and the signs of life reportedly noticed by his family and first responders

(7:15) What agonal breathing looks like and why it can be mistaken for signs of recovery

(8:30) A medical examiner transporter discovers Vincent alive more than five hours after he was pronounced dead

(9:45) The Lazarus effect, or autoresuscitation, and where the term comes from

(10:45) Other reported cases of people showing signs of life after being declared dead

(12:45) How medical professionals determine death and the additional criteria used to establish brain death

(15:15) What the Lazarus effect looks like when it occurs

(16:00) The theories behind why circulation can sometimes return after CPR has stopped

(17:15) Why patients should be monitored after CPR ends before death is declared

(18:00) How Dr. Crowns knows someone is dead before beginning an autopsy

(19:15) Dr. Crowns’ grandmother, a family fear of being buried alive, and a needle that may have been involved in confirming a death

About the Host

Dr. Kendall Crowns is the chief medical examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings sharp medical insight and dark humor to the often-misunderstood realities of forensic pathology.

About the Show

Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations.

Connect and Learn More

Learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on LinkedIn and follow Mayhem in the Morgue on TikTok at @mayheminthemorgue. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace and be sure to follow Mayhem in the Morgue wherever you get your podcasts.

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