WASHINGTON — Congressional lawmakers yesterday called for an immediate investigation into the death of a baby who was put in a locked room with his mother and nurse at Honolulu International Airport while immigration officials checked their travel documents.

Luaipou Futi and a nurse banged on the locked door and begged for medical help for Futi's 14-day-old son, Michael Tony Futi, who had flown to Honolulu Feb. 15 from American Samoa for heart surgery and was becoming distressed in the warm room. Michael died hours later at Moanalua Medical Center.

U.S. Rep. Peter T. King, R-N.Y., the top Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, asked the agency's inspector general to conduct the investigation, calling the incident a "terrible tragedy."

"My heart goes out to the family," King said.

Both Hawai'i senators and one congressman, plus a congressional delegate from American Samoa, are also pressing the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency for answers into the death of Michael.

U.S. Sens. Daniel K. Akaka and Daniel K. Inouye yesterday said they sent letters to Customs and Border Protection asking for an official inquiry into the death.

"The death of a small child always is a tragic occurrence, and I am distressed by the possibility that Michael's death might have been unnecessary," said Akaka, a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

In a statement, Inouye said, "My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Michael Futi, and especially to his mother, Ms. Luaipou Futi."

"From a policy and regulatory standpoint, it will be important to review the agency's protocol on the clearance of gravely ill patients to ensure that we do not have a repeat of such a heartbreaking tragedy at any of our nation's ports of entry in the future."

Michael Friel, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection in Washington, said the agency could not comment because of possible litigation.

Delegate Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, D-American Samoa, also asked the Homeland Security Department to launch an investigation

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawai'i, has written a letter to Customs and Border Protection's Honolulu office requesting "a full accounting" of procedures, rules and regulations covering detention of people traveling with young children.

Abercrombie said yesterday the child's death is "beyond tragedy."

"It is an outrage," he said. "I don't want excuses. I want answers."

A lawyer for the boy's mother said Michael died after he, his mother and a traveling nurse were kept in a warm room for about 30 minutes after arriving from American Samoa on Feb. 8. The boy was in Honolulu so he could be examined for a heart condition and probable surgery.

Luaipou Futi said her son became distressed in the room, and she and the nurse tried in vain to persuade officials to let them out.

The group was detained after a five-hour flight by immigration officials who apparently believed there was a problem with the mother's visa waiver, according to Rick Fried, the mother's attorney.

Fried said that while locked in the room, the baby started having breathing problems. After the three were released, city paramedics took Michael, in critical condition, to Kaiser Permanente's Moanalua Medical Center. He died later that morning.

Fried said he would file a lawsuit against the federal government over the child's death.

Akaka said he was particularly concerned with Customs and Border Protection's decision to detain a mother and newborn baby with a serious medical condition.

"It appears that Michael and his nurse were U.S. nationals entitled to enter the country so the decision to detain them rather than allowing them to continue to the hospital is particularly troubling," he said.

Rep. King said he respects the job Customs and Border Protection does but wants the inspector general to review the events leading up to the death and the rationale for detaining the infant and nurse, both of whom are U.S. citizens.

The review also should ensure that "a tragedy such as this does not happen again," King said.

Reach Dennis Camire at dcamire@gns.gannett.com.