Waiting in vain

The mother of six-year-old Keyianna Noel is pleading with the man who took her daughter and later released her unharmed to stop running like a fugitive. In a telephone interview with the T&T Guardian yesterday the woman said she was convinced the man was going to surrender to police as promised yesterday. The 27-year-old vowed to stand by his side during the ordeal of court appearances and lengthy adjournments. 

Noel was grabbed from her father’s Duncan Street, Port-of-Spain, home on Tuesday afternoon. After her father called the Anti-Kidnapping Squad and police followed several leads, they managed to negotiate for Keyianna’s release. The next day she was dropped off at the home of the abductor’s sister, who then called the police to arrange for the child to be returned to her parents. 

The incident once again threw the nation into a panic mode, having already been traumatised by the recent abduction and killing of Keyanna Cumberbatch. Keyianna’s safe return thus allowed citizens to breathe a little better ahead of the Christmas season. The suspect promised to surrender to the police yesterday after he visited his two-year old daughter, who he described as the “apple of his eye”. The suspect never showed up.

Noel’s mother said: “Come and look for yuh child and stop running like a fugitive. You are not a fugitive.” The mother of four said she was in constant contact with the suspect and made herself and the child available on Thursday night for him to see his child before surrendering. He also failed to show then. The man told both the T&T Guardian and his intended attorney Fareed Ali he would surrender to police yesterday afternoon after meeting briefly with the T&T Guardian. 

Around 5 pm he telephoned in a panic saying he was not willing to surrender “with all them people there” referring to other media houses who camped outside the Guardian Building on St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain hoping to get a glimpse of the suspect. The suspect said he wanted to surrender to police and was hoping to have his day in court quickly.

The T&T Guardian contacted ASP Ajith Persad who made preparations for the suspect to surrender. By 6 pm, two-and-a-half hours after his intended arrival, it was evident that he would not show up, despite being given assurances that there was nothing to worry about.

On Thursday the suspect, in an exclusive interview with the T&T Guardian, said he was pushed into abducting Noel because he was being denied access to his own daughter. The man said all he wanted was to care for the “apple of his eye”. He promised that after seeing her yesterday he would surrender. The child’s mother, who wished not to be identified by name said the suspect had at all times full access to his child and she was not being vindictive.

She said she left the suspect on Monday night after getting too weary of their constant arguments and fights. Asked what advice she would give to single mothers out there, the woman said: “As women stand up and take care of your child. You don’t have to wait on no man to help you out. There is social welfare that could assist because at the end of the day some men say that is not their child and they are not minding no other man child”. Police are still searching for the man who is wanted for kidnapping.