It has been exactly two months since 7-year-old Angelica Saydee Jogie’s young life was ended by a devastating jet ski collision at Tobago’s popular Pigeon Point Beach, and her heartbroken family is still clinging to one demand: answers, and long-overdue justice.
Every evening, the Jogie family gathers outside their Barrackpore home at a small, loving memorial set up in Angelica’s honor. Two candles are lit without fail each night, as relatives join in prayer for justice and hold space for the irreplaceable gap left by the little girl’s passing. For her father, Arnold Jogie, the agony of losing his child remains just as raw as it was on the day of the April 8 tragedy, he told local outlet the Express in an interview published this week.
The fatal incident unfolded when Jogie, his daughter, and his uncle were in the shallow waters off Pigeon Point when an out-of-control jet ski crashed into all three. Angelica suffered fatal multiple traumatic injuries and died moments after the impact. Arnold Jogie was hospitalized for several days with his own injuries, while Angelica’s uncle received medical care and was discharged shortly after the collision. The little girl’s death sent shockwaves across Trinidad and Tobago, igniting broad public outcry and reawakening longstanding demands for tighter safety regulations and consistent monitoring of recreational jet ski operations across the country’s public beaches.
Within 24 hours of the tragedy, police took a 32-year-old Canaan man into custody in connection with the fatal collision. But law enforcement officials confirmed the suspect was later released as investigators continue to process the case, leaving the family in limbo. Jogie told reporters he submitted his formal witness statement to investigating officers three weeks ago, and he expected the case file would have been sent to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions weeks ago to review possible charges.
“I last spoke with the police about three weeks ago. At that time, they told me they were still looking at the charges. Up to now, nothing,” Jogie said. As Monday’s two-month anniversary of the accident arrived, the endless delay in police action has only amplified the family’s pain and uncertainty. “We just want justice for our daughter. We are not hearing from the police. It makes us wonder if they are not bothering with us anymore,” he added.
The family’s grief has been deepened by another recent, devastating child death on the island of Tobago. Last month, 2-year-old Angelo Tobias-Plaza went missing from his Goodwood home, sparking a massive multi-day search that has not recovered the toddler’s body. Angelo’s stepfather, Shannon Miller, has since been arraigned in Scarborough court on a charge of murder. Though the two cases are unrelated, Jogie said learning of another young life lost in Tobago left his family heartbroken. “Cruel people are taking God’s angels,” he said. “But we are praying that we get justice, too.”
Until investigators close the case and charges are filed, the Jogie family will maintain their nightly vigil. Photos of Angelica, flickering candles, and handwritten tributes stand as a constant reminder of the joyful little girl taken too soon. Though weeks of waiting have stretched on, the family says they still hold onto hope that investigators will wrap up their work soon, and that the person responsible for their daughter’s death will be held fully accountable. Every night, the candles keep burning: a quiet, powerful symbol of a family’s undying love, unshakable faith, and unwavering determination to get justice for the little girl who should still be with them today.