Family pleads for safe return of Taliyah
Distraught family members are pleading for the safe return of a five-year-old Calgary girl whose mother was found dead in the basement suite where the two lived.
Scott Hamilton, uncle of the slain woman, is asking that Taliyah Leigh Marsman be dropped off at a police station, a grocery store, a gas station — or anywhere else. He says the family will pick her up and no questions will be asked.
Police issued an Amber Alert overnight Monday for the girl. She is described as a mixed-race child with a slim build, brown curly hair and blue eyes.
Hamilton says the child’s mother, Sara Baillie, was pretty much single-handedly raising Taliyah, who the family described as more mature than her five years. He said a deep bond existed between mother and child.
“Inseparable,” Hamilton said of the two. “Taliyah referred to Sara as Mama and it wasn’t necessarily like a mother-daughter relationship. It was almost like watching two sisters at times get along.”
“Sara worshipped Taliyah. It was a very awesome relationship to see between a mother and daughter.”
Hamilton described Taliyah as “a vivacious, wonderful child, curious.” She liked playing on her iPad and Hamilton’s wife, Marilynne, had recently taught Taliyah to ride a bicycle.
“The bicycle sits in our garage waiting for her to come back,” he said, his voice breaking.
Police said they aren’t ruling anything out in their search, including the possibility that Taliyah was dropped off with someone who has yet to realize the girl is the subject of an Amber Alert.
“We have all the faith in the world that Taliyah will be found safe. Somebody who knows where she is, is going to step up and do the right thing,” Insp. Don Coleman said following the family’s news conference Tuesday.
Coleman said family members last saw the girl Sunday morning. They became concerned when Baillie didn’t show up at work. So they went to her home, a basement suite in a quiet northwest neighbourhood, on Monday evening to check on her.
“She wasn’t there. Neither was Taliyah,” Coleman said.
There were no signs of forced entry. Police were called and the officers found Baillie’s body.
Taliyah’s father is estranged from her mother, Coleman said.
“He is co-operating with the investigation.”
Coleman said he is not convinced a stranger was involved in the child’s disappearance.