Attorneys representing Venezuelan migrant Darielvis Eliannys Sarabia Morillo, the mother of baby Yaelvis Santoyo Sarabi,a have sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking details of the circumstances of the child's death.

Yaelvis died when he was shot in the head when the boat he was travelling in from Venezuela to Trinidad was shot at by members of the Coast Guard in February.

His mother was wounded and was warded at the Sangre Grande Hospital until she was discharged three weeks ago.

The letter attached to the FOIA request was sent to Chief of Defence Staff Air Vice Marshal Darryl Daniel. It requested information on the details of the incident, whether any investigation was initiated, whether any evidence of a crime was committed during the incident, the name of the lead investigator in the matter, the names of supervisors involved and the types of weapons used during the incident.

In the letter the attorneys called on Daniel to disclose the information as it would bring closure to Yaelvis' family and could guide the decisions of policy-makers in migrant relations in the future.

The letter, which also serves as a pre-action protocol letter, requires Daniel to respond within 21 days or face legal action.

On February 10, 35 migrants who were also aboard the vessel at the time of the shooting sent a letter through their attorneys to the Ministry of National Security seeking permission to stay in the country until the investigation into Santoyo's death was completed, adding that they were witnesses to the event and could be useful for the enquiry.

The following day they were deported.

Contacted for comment, one of Morillo's attorneys, Criston Williams, said he was optimistic Daniel would respond with the requested information.

"I am very confident the Chief of Defence Staff will respect the law and the ambit under the Freedom of Information Act request and respond in the right and proper manner, whether or not the information requested may be viewed as an indictment against any member of the coast guard."

Police said the Southern Division was still investigating the baby's death.

The post Attorneys send FOIA request over shooting death of Venezuelan baby appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.