STEPHON NICHOLAS
GML Tobago Correspondent
One month after her two-year-old son was reported missing, Kalifah Tobias made an emotional return to Cambridge Trace, Goodwood.
Relatives of toddler Angelo Tobias Plaza held a prayer service for the child, who is suspected to have been murdered. His body has not yet been found.
Tobias was accompanied by her mother Nisa Tobias, other relatives and her close female friend who has been by her side throughout the ordeal.
The service was organised by the Hunters Search and Rescue Team (HSRT), led by commander Shamsudeen Ayube, with the blessing of the family.
Relatives lit candles from the house where Angelo was reported missing on May 11, along the route to Goodwood Bay, where his body is suspected to have been dumped.
It was the first time Tobias returned to the area since she was detained by police alongside her partner Shannon Miller, 24.
Miller was charged with Angelo’s murder on May 23, while Tobias was released on the instructions of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
In a brief interview with Guardian Media, Tobias said she remains devastated by Angelo’s death and the circumstances surrounding it.
She said her presence at Cambridge Trace brought feelings of distress and anxiety. Tobias has been staying with her mother since her release from police custody.
The 22-year-old mother was detained after reports emerged that Miller was the prime suspect in Angelo’s disappearance.
Tobias said she refused to believe it when police informed her about Miller’s alleged involvement.
“I thought they were lying. I did not believe it,” she said.
Asked how she felt about Miller now, Tobias paused briefly with a perplexed look on her face.
“You’re the first person who has asked me that,” she said, before adding, “I feel hurt and confused. To lose your child is one thing, but to lose your child to someone you trust.”
Tobias said life has been difficult since her release, but she has been leaning on the support of her loved ones.
She said she does not blame people on social media for lashing out at her, but insisted they do not know the entire story.
Her mother remains protective of her mental health and well-being.
She asked media not to film her daughter or they would leave Cambridge Trace before the service even began.
She said her daughter has been grieving and that the service was her first opportunity to be among people while mourning the loss of her son.
She said Tobias has been staying indoors, trying to shut out the noise as she processes everything that has happened.
Speaking to the media after the service, Ayube and the rest of the HSRT, who were among the multi-agency search teams for Angelo, said returning to the child’s unoccupied former home left them saddened.
He said the presence of Angelo’s relatives at the service was important as they all seek justice on his behalf.
The HSRT was in Trinidad last week searching for another child, 12-year-old Mercedez Layne, who was later found murdered.
Ayube said the public has a duty of care to keep children safe.
“We have to protect the young ones. If we fail to protect them, they are the future, we don’t know what the future will make.
“We all were small and we were protected by our elders, parents and communities, and we are asking everyone to do the same.”
The police investigation into Angelo’s death continues.
