14 Feb 2008

Calls for official American Samoa investigation into death of two week old baby at Honolulu airport

7:30 pm on 14 February 2008

An American Samoa politician, Representative Taotasi Archie Soliai, is calling for answers as to why a 14 day old boy died while locked up in a room at Honolulu Airport with his mother and a nurse.

The child, who needed heart surgery, had all of the correct travel papers.

Taotasi says the Attorney General should find out why the child and the nurse, who were both US nationals, were held up.

The boy's mother Mrs Luaipou Futi says if Customs and Immigration officials at Honolulu Airport had let them through immediately, her baby would still be alive.

Lawyer, Rich Fried, says a problem with Mrs Futi's visa waiver form was the reason for the holdup.

Mrs Futi is a citizen of Samoa.