2-Year-Old Boy Dies After Getting ‘Damaged’ Heart During Transplant

A 2-year-old boy who was supposed to get a second chance at life is now at the center of a growing medical controversy.

Domenico, a toddler from southern Italy, died early Saturday morning at Monaldi Hospital in Naples—less than two months after receiving a heart transplant. His family says the very organ meant to save him may have sealed his fate.

Now prosecutors are investigating.

Domenico underwent transplant surgery on December 23. For his parents, it was a miracle just before Christmas. The donor heart had traveled nearly 500 miles from northern Italy to Naples.

But according to the family’s attorney, Francesco Petruzzi, something went terribly wrong during that journey.

“The heart was burned by frostbite,” Petruzzi told reporters, claiming the organ may have been damaged during transport in a container packed with dry ice. He also suggested the organ could have been compromised during removal from the donor.

Within weeks of surgery, Domenico’s condition worsened. He was placed on life support. Doctors later determined he was not a candidate for a second transplant.

On February 21, just before 9:30 a.m. local time, the toddler died.

Italian prosecutors have opened a formal investigation. Reports indicate that six medical professionals are now under scrutiny.

Hospital officials said Domenico suffered a “sudden and irreversible worsening” of his condition. A panel of pediatric specialists later concluded his body could not withstand another transplant attempt. They reportedly warned that nearly two months on life support may have damaged his lungs, liver, and kidneys.

But the family is not satisfied with that explanation.

“If the time for hope has ended, then the time for responsibility has begun,” Petruzzi said. He is demanding full access to Domenico’s medical records and a transparent review of every step—from organ retrieval to surgical procedure to post-operative care.

The case has sparked grief and outrage across Italy.

Photos from Naples show families placing flowers outside the hospital. Parents stood with their children in silent tribute to a boy many called a “little warrior.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly addressed the tragedy, writing that “the whole of Italy is united in grief.” She promised that authorities would “shed full light on this terrible tragedy.”

Italy’s Health Minister Orazio Schillaci echoed that message.

“We owe it to the child, to the family, but also to all Italians,” he said.

In the United States, organ transport is governed by strict federal protocols overseen by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. Hearts must be preserved within tightly controlled temperature ranges. Even minor deviations can cause tissue injury and reduce the organ’s viability.

If claims of frostbite damage are confirmed, it could raise serious questions about preservation standards and oversight—not just in Italy, but globally.

For now, Domenico’s parents are left with grief—and questions.

They were promised hope. Instead, they are planning a funeral.

And they want answers.