‘Facebook is dangerous’

He believes her kidnapping may be linked to human trafficking.

Sookdeo, a mother of two, was snatched shortly after dropping off her two children at Picton Presbyterian School in San Fernando last Thursday morning.

Speaking to Sunday Newsday yesterday at the family’s Philippines home in south Trinidad, a tearful Rajkumar, 64, said the abductors have not contacted family members, which can only lead him to speculate that his daughter’s disappearance may have been a case of human trafficking.

“To tell you the honest truth, we are not getting any calls about a ransom for my daughter, so I don’t know if it could be human trafficking. I really don’t know, but I do know that this Facebook thing is a very dangerous thing,” he said.

Sookdeo also had a profile on Facebook on which she posted photographs of herself and family members. Rajkumar said many people are not aware of the dangers of social media, particularly on Facebook.

“On Facebook you are exposing yourself to the world and there are cruel people in the world watching you and your every footstep,” the tearful father said. He said “evil people” are watching individuals through social media.

“They are looking at everything you do and looking for the opportunity for when they would grab you. This Facebook thing exposes everything. I just really hope my daughter is alive,” he cried openly.

The father recalled the final moments speaking with his daughter, three days before she was abducted.

“I did not know it would be the last time. It hurts so much, no one knows what we are going through.

I never thought this would have happened to us. Ria is such a loving girl, so kind and caring. I don’t know why they would do this,” the tearful man said.

Sookdeo, a well-known hairdresser of Ragoo Village Extension, Wellington Road in Debe, was snatched moments after kissing her nine-year-old daughter Elena and son Toraz, five, as she saw them safely through the school gates. She drove away from the school, up a hill, a stone’s throw away to Picton Estate Drive, where she made a routine turn every morning and evening before heading back home. Police believe her abductors were lurking nearby and, according to reports, as she attempted to turn was intercepted by a man dressed in police uniform. The man, police said, dragged Sookdeo out from behind the steering wheel of her red Nissan X trail SUV and threw her into a waiting black Nissan X trail before speeding off.

Surveillance cameras in the area picked up the vehicle.

Sunday Newsday was told the getaway vehicle was spotted in the Lengua district sometime later. Sookdeo’s cell phone and handbag remained in her vehicle.

Today marks four days since the young mother’s disappearance.

Her children have been asking for her and only recently relatives informed them that their mother was kidnapped.

“My granddaughter asked me, ‘Papa when mummy coming home?’ I did not know what to tell her and it breaks my heart, but we did explain to them that their mother was kidnapped and she understands, but her son is only five years and he is still a bit young to fully understand what is going on,” Rajkumar explained.

He said persons have also been telephoning the family with false information about the whereabouts of Ria.

“There are people up to mischief out there, just recently someone called and said that Ria was in an abandon house tied up in Cedros, by doing this the family is hurting even more,” he said.

For the past few days, nightly prayer services were hosted at the family’s Debe home.

Sookdeo’s husband, Mark, yesterday again made and emotional plea for the abductors to release her.

“I am pleading with those who have abducted my wife, so please, please return her home to her family please, please,” he wept.

Relatives told Sunday Newsday the traumatized man has not been able to sleep. Police officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU), San Fernando CID, Southern Division Task Force, Highway Patrol, Rapid Response Unit are continuing investigations.