Day 10 Of The Search For Baby Angelo

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:07]Welcome back to Tobago Thursday on Trinidad and Tobago. Today on TTT, well, the disappearance of 2-year-old Angela Tobias has really taken a heartbreaking turn following reports of a confession in the case and leaving the Goodwood Tobago community shaking and grieving.

[00:00:25]Now this morning we begin day 10 of that agonizing uncertainty in the search of baby Angelo. Well, residents had spent days hoping for the child's safe return as extensive searches continued across the island. Well, joining me this morning is the president of the Goodwood Community Council, Mr. Brent Brenzo Smith. And we get a sense of the mood within the community following all of this. Good morning, Brent.

[00:00:52]>> Hello. Good morning to DT. Good morning to the your viewing audience.

[00:00:58]>> Well, Brent, how would you describe the mood in in Goodwood right now following this development?

[00:01:05]>> Well, miss, I could tell you with every certainty that the community feeling it right now. We feeling it real bad. And uh everybody shocked, we sad, we angry, right? And um we really want answers.

[00:01:28]And that I believe that is where the hurt coming from is why we're not getting um closure in this matter. It's been dragging on, right? And um we need some sort of closure as a community. It was heel was a very nice boy.

[00:01:48]>> Now, we've been uh seeing residents very emotional. Some are saying that they haven't been able to eat. They haven't been able to sleep. They just can't function with all of this happening. And um you know, many people in the village appeared to have treated Angelo like their very own. So, what has it been like watching the community rally around this child and and the search for this child over the past several days? You know, this morning we spoke about the fact that we heard some of the community members saying that they've been cooking for the rescue workers. They've been there every day from sun up to sun down.

[00:02:21]So, what has it really been like to see how the community is coming together?

[00:02:26]>> Well, I would extend it beyond the community. I would extend it to the Trinidad and Tobago. Miss, this is a 2-year-old child, right? Um, we hurting for a child. Oh gosh, it's two years old the child is. And if you understand what I'm saying, anybody feeling it, right? Everybody, everybody want to do something. Even you seen posters put up carro last night had a vigil. Um even in Trinidad, they hear people putting up vigil is at 2year-old.

[00:03:01]We understand the inner sense of this child, right? So it it had it is beyond good at this stage.

[00:03:11]So everybody doing what they could do, everybody on their knees there by the teleipad dog. There was prayers by the teleipad dog yesterday morning. So I would say beyond the community of good at this time. But everybody in Goodwood, the villagers in Goodwood have have band together. Even our neighboring village pebbrook and all have been banding together in support right of the rescue team. had talk to the rescue team, the search and rescue team, right? I would propose a bonus for them if the prime minister could induct them as a unit or some kind of recognition or award. What about the social media people and them who who put out you understand the effort in assisting in the search because some information come to them because you know how everybody feel about police, right? that is a reality and the social media personalities and so on assisted everybody assisted in the in the um searching for Angelo and searching for answers regarding Angelo. So it is beyond our community at this stage.

[00:04:20]>> It really does take a village. Um Brent, you know, everyone as you spoke about, everyone is really coming together to help find baby Angelo. I know there have also been some candlelight vigils. I saw some prayer walks. Um residents have been gathering late into the night.

[00:04:34]Everyone is coming together hoping that we find baby Angelo. Now um I know that this will change the community forever.

[00:04:43]Would you agree with me?

[00:04:47]>> Well, well, I hope it change Yes, it will change the community. I hope it change the way we do policing, right? I hope we change the way we do parenting because to be honest with you, gone are the days where a village raises a child. We at a stage in our society where everybody tend to hold their own and mind their business, right? We have seen it time and time again within the Trinidad and Tobago space uh where abuse and is taking place or wrongdoing in another home and we not everybody on their own. So I I believe that if we can get back to the days where we can hey all stop this all assist you understand assist in raising a child maybe this could be prevented.

[00:05:40]Now that's just my thinking, right?

[00:05:43]Maybe we could prevent because we at a stage where where we have to look to the future to say how can we prevent more because we seen in the news that there's more children um um going missing and and and I don't know what is going on in this country at this time. You understand? So how can we change but in a preventative mode? So I I would see I will look at it from that aspect.

[00:06:14]>> Now, Brent, I believe today is day 10 of that search for baby Angela. I'm not too sure if you are currently in the community at this time. Um, would would you be able to give us an update about the search and what's about to happen today if you can do that?

[00:06:30]>> No, I will I'm not privy to any police information. are more private to hearay information, right? Which is not actual factual, right? Um but we will be out there in the communities, right? Um still waiting for questions, unanswered question as where is the body, right?

[00:06:52]That is the question on everybody lips right now.

[00:06:55]>> Yeah. Where is the body? Why hasn't the the there's um a confession, alleged confession, right?

[00:07:05]Please also tell the community and the wider world where is the body of Andrew.

[00:07:11]I am appealing to the parents of the both persons involved in the disappearance the grandmothers and and um and so on. Allah all talk to the boys, talk to them, talk to the the alleged mother or so on and and try to ascertain from them where did they what happened to Angelo that is all we want to know what happened to him he was in you all care right he was in all of I appealing to the parent and families of both people right involved all talk to them it's something that we need to know right and I believe this is the stage we that we want to know what happened.

[00:07:58]>> Now, uh Brent, as a village council president, what kind of healing or support do you think that the community would need uh going forward from this?

[00:08:09]>> Well, um we have our our vice president has been down there, our trustee has been down there from the beginning, right? Uh the village council is actually made up of villages. Our village is down there. So, the council there is well represented going forward, right? Um we have the heritage festival coming up. Um and I believe in the heritage festival coming up. Um I I hope you could able to come forward and um you know heal from this.

[00:08:49]I believe at some point we will have to do some sort of memorial right you know it hasn't been you know it's proposed you know where where will it take place you know you know is left to be seen you know and um invite our representatives to be part of the memorial because we have to we have to find a way as sad as it is we have to find a way to move on we have to find a way to learn from this We have to find a way to grow from this.

[00:09:21]We cannot continue down the same path.

[00:09:24]We cannot allow another child, right, to be lost the same way, right? Not only in Goodwood, not only in Tobago, not only in Trinidad and Toby, right? So that is the sort of healing we need. We have to learn from this. When you learn, you grow.

[00:09:43]Now Brent, um before you go, Baby Angelo brought together Trinidad and Tobago and and has all eyes on the sister aisle and everyone's coming together for this as you said before. Um how do you want baby Angelo, how does the community want baby Angelo to be remembered through all of this?

[00:10:04]>> Well, that's a very good question, right? um some way somehow he will he will be remembered because he was a nice little right in the back as you see the video where the rocks are right they they used to fishing right on the night time you know there's a number of people coming there to fish in you know um I believe that um there should be a for my own view personal view that there should be some type of funding in um Angelo's name for children, right? Or some type of policy change, right? From the from the perspective of legislation, right, for children, right, um in Angelo's name, right? I believe the parliament of Tran Tobago should have legislation, >> better legislation, right, to assist the police and so on, investigators and um child protective care and so on, maybe a fund or something in the name for health parenting, right? Um in his name.

[00:11:23]So, something should come out in um Angelo's name. I I ain't sure as yet, but you know, those are some suggestions.

[00:11:32]>> Totally understand. Thank you very much um Mr. Brent Smith and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with uh you and the people of Goodwood and also Tobago.

[00:11:43]Thank you for joining us.

[00:11:44]>> All right. Well, thank you as well and um enjoy the rest of your day.

[00:11:49]>> All right. Thank you for being a part and the work that you have been doing.

[00:11:52]continue doing the great work.

[00:11:54]>> Thank you very much, Mr. Smith. That was the president of the Goodwood Village Council joining us on Trinidad and Tobago today for that update as today begins day 10 of that agonizing uh search for baby Angelo. Well, the Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Fio Augustine says the case of missing toddler Angelo Tobias Plaza is absolutely infuriating. And he made this comment while speaking exclusively with TDT News. Gregory Mcboney tells us more.

[00:12:24]>> Although police are yet to confirm reports that a man has confessed to murdering baby Angelo, THA Chief Secretary Fario Augustine says the entire incident has sparked a sense of anger among Tobonians. Speaking with TTT News in Charlottville today, Chief Secretary Augustine urged the public to use this opportunity to reflect on the deeper issues being brought to the four.

[00:12:48]And uh the island certainly cannot and should not sit easy um on this. Um I I think this should be one of those things that we don't allow to just have its 90 day and and pass. We have to have more than serious conversations about how we treat the vulnerable on the island, how we treat each other. Uh we we have had as an island perhaps some secret sins that we have to treat with.

[00:13:18]>> He said it is important that people understand the role of family in building a society. The family is the is the first social institution. And if the first social institution before we get to the church, the school, the youth groups and all the other social institutions, if the first social in institution uh destroys the child, then what exactly are we preparing for in terms of the the future? The chief secretary also criticized the investigative process saying he believes it took too long for certain information to be discovered. Police have maintained throughout the investigation, however, that due process has to be followed.

[00:13:57]Gregory McBurnernney, TTT News. Thank you, Gregory. Well, Chief Secretary Fio Augustine says something is not right.

[00:14:05]We continue to follow this story and bring you all the updates as they come to us. Remember, for everything that you see here and more, you can find it a little later on online at TTT Live