FORT WORTH, Texas — A state representative is advocating for the father of a Uvalde, Texas, school shooting victim to be able to attend his daughter’s funeral after a report that he was denied compassionate release from a Kentucky prison.
Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10, was one of 19 children killed on May 24 when an 18-year-old gunman opened fire inside the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, killing 19 children and two adult teachers, according to Texas officials.
Her father, 46-year-old Eli Torres, is incarcerated at the McCreary United States Penitentiary, a federal prison in Pine Knot. Torres was convicted in Del Rio, Texas, of drug trafficking and conspiracy.
After a request for compassionate release was reportedly denied, Kentucky state Rep. Attica Scott sent a letter to President Joe Biden and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear asking for their help.
“Her family is desperately seeking a way to ensure that her father gets an opportunity to attend his daughter’s memorial ceremonies,” Scott wrote. “ ... If Eliahana’s father’s rehabilitation record and behavior as an inmate would merit, this family would greatly appreciate him to be able to unite with them as they mourn the loss of their family member.”
She said in her letter that the father and daughter were one week from seeing each other in person before Eliahana was shot and killed.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons didn’t confirm with the Lexington Herald-Leader the report that the request was denied.
“For privacy, safety, and security reasons, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) does not provide information on any individual inmate’s conditions of confinement to include compassionate release requests or a request for temporary release,” said Scott Taylor, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons.
According to court documents, Torres was found guilty by a jury in 2013 for possession of cocaine in or around a private school, and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. His scheduled release is for February 2033, according to federal prison records.
The Bureau of Federal Prisons uses compassionate release in “particularly extraordinary or compelling circumstances which could not reasonably have been foreseen by the court at the time of sentencing.”
Procedures cover initiation of request under extraordinary or compelling circumstances, requests based on medical circumstances and requests based on nonmedical circumstance for elderly inmates. Procedures also cover requests based on nonmedical circumstances concerning the death or incapacitation of the family member caregiver of an inmate’s child.
The reported denial of Torres’ release has sparked many in the United States and Kentucky to advocate on behalf of his release. A tweet about the denial of Torres’ release has received 31,000 retweets and 87,000 likes.
Scott saw the viral tweet herself, and said she felt the least she could do in the state where Torres is incarcerated was reach out to the governor, and Biden. She posted the letter she sent on her own Twitter page and called for the public to do their part as well.
Scott said she didn’t know why Torres’ request was denied, but had reached out to the Bureau of Prisons and Beshear to learn more.
“At the end of the day, this is interestingly about compassion,” Scott told the Herald-Leader. “Louisville claims to be the most compassionate city in the state, and we must show that by fighting for this family, and for Mr. Torres to attend his daughter’s funeral.”
The representative reported she did receive a confirmation letter from Beshear’s office that her letter was received, but received no comment from his office or Biden Wednesday afternoon.
“I hope that people of Kentucky can find in their hearts to step up and call for action to get Mr. Torres home on compassionate release to attend the funeral of his daughter to help build a sense of community and unity across the country,” she said. “More than that, we need people to come together for gun reform and stop these mass murders and shootings from happening further.”
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