Family hires lawyers to help get answers after loved one drowns in Miami River
MIAMI - The family of Trevonte Johnson is calling for witnesses to come forward after he died after going overboard in the Miami River on Saint Patrick's Day.
They say his death was unnecessary and avoidable.
In a press conference Tuesday, lawyers for the family allege the boat rental company failed to maintain safety and lacked proper equipment for water emergencies.
CBS News Miami reached out to rentboatinmiami.com for comment about these allegations. They have yet to respond.
Guy Rubin, the lawyer for Johnson's family says he was in town to celebrate a friend's birthday.
They were out on a boat, but the lawyers claim the 6 people onboard never got a safety demonstration and there was no life-saving equipment on hand.
"[There] Should've been life jackets provided for everyone on that boat because once they rented that boat and the captain of that boat decided to take them out. Their safety was in his hands," said the Johnson's aunt Jestine Mathews.
People did jump in the river to try and help Johnson but they were unsuccessful. Rubin says while in the water, Johnson was also hit by another boat.
"I feel like if he would've had on a life jacket that boat might've been able to identify him in the water," said Mathews.
Now, they're calling on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation and Miami Police to investigate things further and for more witnesses to come forward.
"Officials and law enforcement must patrol and control to ensure safety on the water. Rental boats must be properly equipped. The captains and care must be properly trained with safety as job number 1," said Rubin.
Back in February, another man fell into the Miami River while on a rental boat. Rubin says they're hoping to avoid this happening again.
The lawyers for Johnson's family say they don't know where this incident stands in terms of official investigations. They've reached out to the FWC but have not heard anything.
