A 24-year-old Goodwood man has been charged with the murder of two-year-old Angelo Tobias-Plaza, nearly two weeks after the toddler’s disappearance triggered an island-wide search operation in Tobago.
In a media release issued last evening, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) said Shannon Miller, 24, of Cambridge Trace, Goodwood, who was Angelo’s stepfather, was formally charged following legal advice from a Specialist Adviser assigned to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Police said Angelo was reported missing on May 11, prompting what they described as a comprehensive multi-agency investigation.
The search effort involved police officers, members of the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), the Hunters’ Search and Rescue Team and other agencies, with teams combing both land and sea areas across Tobago. Search operations later expanded to locations including the Studley Park landfill and other areas in an effort to locate the child.
Guardian Media previously reported that the case drew widespread public attention as residents of Goodwood gathered repeatedly, calling for answers and for Angelo to be found.
Villagers and family members also held vigils and joined search efforts as days passed without a breakthrough.
Police said an audience was held with the Specialist Adviser to review the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance, before legal advice was given that there was sufficient evidence to proceed with criminal charges.
The TTPS said it remained committed to ensuring investigations are conducted with professionalism, diligence and integrity.
Despite the searches, Angelo’s body is yet to be found.
