The father of a missing five-year-old Calgary girl is pleading for the child’s safe return.
Colin Marsman, who is originally from Halifax, has issued a statement asking for the public’s help in locating his daughter, Taliyah Leigh Marsman.
“It’s never too late to do the right thing,” said Marsman in the statement, which was released by his friend, Gabriel Goree.
“If you even think you might have seen something that could be a clue, let your local law enforcement know immediately.”
Officers were called to a home in the 1000 block of Panamount Boulevard N.W. on Monday night at about 8:30 p.m., after family members became concerned because the girl’s mother, Sara Baillie, failed to show up to work.
Police went to the home and found Baillie dead inside and her young daughter gone. Police do not believe there was any forced entry in the home and they are not convinced a stranger took the girl.
Police issued an Amber Alert for Taliyah around 1:40 a.m. Tuesday. They are treating her mother’s death as a homicide.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone out there, including the media, and especially the law enforcement for their continued search for Taliyah,” said Marsman. “I also want to send my deepest condolences to Sara’s family during this time.”
Marsman, who also goes by Colin Paris, grew up in the Halifax area and graduated from Queen Elizabeth High School.
His friends tell CTV News he moved out west to work in the oil fields at least 15 years ago, but that he still considers Halifax home.
“Look closely and if you see anything, anybody that remotely resembles her, call your local police department,” said Halifax Regional Police Det. Shaun Carvery, who is a friend of Marsman’s.
“Let us know and then we can forward the message on and we can hopefully find this little girl and bring her home.”
Insp. Don Coleman of the Calgary Police Service told reporters on Tuesday that police believe the child is still in the Calgary region.
Marsman is estranged from her mother, and the two are known to police because they had a limited history of domestic violence, Coleman said.
Court documents show Marsman, who turns 37 on Wednesday, was charged with unlawful confinement and intimidation by threats on Feb. 1, 2015. They show that Baillie feared he would cause her physical harm.
But the charges were withdrawn March 2. A peace bond issued on that same day has expired.
"We've spoken with him. He is co-operating with the investigation,” said Coleman.
Meanwhile, Marsman is asking anyone with information on his daughter’s whereabouts to come forward.
“I plead for anyone knowing anything about where Taliyah is to please come forward with anything that will help get her home and back to her family,” he said.
“With all my heart, I love her so much; she is my light! Please allow her to come home to her family.”
Police describe Taliyah as mixed-race, with a slim build, curly brown hair and blue eyes.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Calgary police at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kayla Hounsell and CTVNews.ca
