baby detained at airport

[taintfutcha]

Luaipou Futi and a nurse banged on a locked door at Honolulu International Airport Friday morning and begged for medical help for Futi's 14-day-old son, who had flown here from American Samoa for heart surgery and was becoming distressed in the warm room.

According to Futi's attorney, from the other side of the door, the women heard voices telling them to remain calm.

After 30 minutes in the room, Futi, her son, Michael Tony Futi, and the traveling nurse, Arizona Veavea, were released, attorney Rick Fried said.

City paramedics took Michael to Kaiser Permanente's Moana-lua Medical Center, but he died later that morning. Emergency Services Department officials said they received a call at 6:10 a.m. and the child was taken to Kaiser Moanalua in critical condition.

Autopsy results are pending.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080213/NEWS01/802130417/1001/NEWS01

[Jessiesgirl1108]

http://media.starbulletin.com/images/20091108_newsMUGfuti.jpg


QUESTION: Whatever happened to the case involving the death of a baby brought from American Samoa to Honolulu by his mother for medical treatment who was held up at the airport by U.S. Customs and Border Protection?

ANSWER: The baby's mother, Luaipou Futi, filed a lawsuit in federal court in Honolulu against the United States government, alleging wrongful death.

A settlement conference held Tuesday did not succeed, and the case is set for trial before U.S. District Judge Michael Seabright on April 13.

Futi and her 2-week-old son, Michael Tony Futi, traveled to Honolulu with a nurse from Pago Pago, American Samoa, on Feb. 8, 2008. The baby was born with a heart defect at LBJ Tropical Medical Center in Pago Pago, and the hospital received approval from U.S. Customs for an emergency visa waiver for his mother and a nurse to bring him to Honolulu for medical treatment, according to the lawsuit.

The trio were the first passengers off the plane at Honolulu Airport, and a car was waiting to take them to Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children. Instead, they were detained in a locked room by U.S. Customs officials who had concerns over the mother's paperwork. The nurse asked if she and the baby could be released to the hospital but was turned down.

During the flight, the nurse checked Michael's oxygen levels every 15 minutes and administered oxygen as needed, an autopsy report showed. The baby developed breathing problems while locked in the airport room, and his nurse pounded on the door, frantically pleading with officials to call 911, but was told to be quiet, according to the suit.

The infant was later taken by ambulance to Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The Honolulu medical examiner concluded that Michael Futi died because he failed to receive required oxygen.
http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20091108_Case_of_baby_who_died_in_Customs_heads_to _trial_after_failure_to_settle.html
Total FAIL! I think they should award this mother whatever the lawsuit asks for...I just couldn't imagine losing a child when all you were trying to do is get them help.

[Dneilz]

This is an awful story. This babies life didn't have to end... heartbreaking!

[Obsolete]

I understand taking necessary precautions when an airline is unsure of the validity of someones paperwork but locking them in a room and not even bothering to see why they were banging on the door is neglectful and completely out of line. How hard is it to open a friggin door and see what all the fuss is about?

[wintersfootsteps]

Total FAIL! I think they should award this mother whatever the lawsuit asks for...I just couldn't imagine losing a child when all you were trying to do is get them help.

I agree.

This child didn't have to die. None of this should have happened and the mother deserves any kind of compensation she gets.

I could imagine how happy she was to get her baby the medical care he needed only to have something like this happen.

[AngelFire]

This child's death could have been prevented. Stupid, stupid, stupid, doesn't begin to cover it. The mom should get every dollar she is suing for!!!!!

[TDH]

thats so fricken retarded......smh...

[Silvahalo]

OMG! what a horror! Oh, yeah, I'd be over this one for sure. NO way I'd let this slide. WTF was the problem in letting the nurse and baby go? really? matter of national security? I think not.

Take them down I say, tho nothing will bring baby Michael back, this deserves severe punishment!

Poor mother, she only had her baby 2 weeks.....my deepest sympathies Michael was precious.

http://i510.photobucket.com/albums/s341/silvahalo68/Fallen%20angels/20091108_newsMUGfuti.jpg

[biteme]

Unfortunately those responsible for placing the wrong people in charge, will not pay the price, the tax payer will.
Some people cannot make decisions, they follow orders, figuring if they don't waver from the exact steps to be taken they have done their job, and whoever wrote the directions are at fault. Responsibility should fall on whoever put these morons in charge.
I realize there are procedures, but those in charge need to be able to make intelligent decisions when necessary, although it will probably turn out they followed procedure and not held responsible which is BS!

[Misskittychaos]

I would have thought while waiting to make sure the paperwork checked out they'd have an EMS team waiting with the baby. Can you imagine how horrifying it was the the mom and nurse to be sitting with this little one and not getting any help? What a horrible loss, all because technicalities Sure we'll hold this kid up but what about the 11 year old from Tacoma, WA last year who stole a car and snuck on to a plane?http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008117556_semaj16m.html

He and a few others succeed but this poor baby dies waiting on his paperwork being checked?!?