[UPDATED] Mother on wayward son's murder: Court failed my child

Kinda Hall, mother of 17-year-old Sadiuq Maloney, tried everything she could to save her son from being drawn into gang activity. She even begged the court to have him put in a rehabilitation centre.

But despite her attempts he was constantly drawn to what she refers to as the "fast life."

That short life ended on Thursday. Sadiuq was ambushed by gunmen at an apartment on Las Lomas Street, St Helena Village.

Outside the Forensic Sciences Centre, St James, on Monday morning, Hall told Newsday her son would have still been alive if the court had done what she begged it to do a year ago.

"Hear what I plan to do," she said. "I plan to take a picture of my son during his funeral and carry it back to the court and tell the master, 'Look your work. Thanks, and well done.'"

She said the family tried to talk her son out of following bad company many times, and even moved out of the area to get him away from his "friends."

Hall said she kept Maloney in church and helped him join a youth group. She thought if he was moved into a new environment he would find better role models in other young people.

These attempts didn't work.

Maloney left his mother and moved back to Chaguanas to stay with a friend she had warned him to stay away from. When the family tried to persuade him to return home, Hall said, "He told me, 'Don't come look for me, because people out for me.'"

The Children's Court was her last hope.

"I told the court he was unruly, and I brought evidence in a video I got from someone with him robbing a place. I had legal aid and asked them (to) fight to take him from where he was and put him somewhere – YTC (Youth Training and Rehabilitation Centre), or a home."

She reported her son to the Chaguanas police and showed them the video footage in the hope that he would be arrested, taken away from the "fast life" and put in the rehabilitation centre.

After a year of court hearings, Hall said, she was advised to go to the Children's Authority because the court "cannot do anything, because the Chinese people he robbed from didn't make a report."

When she heard that, she said, "I went down on my knees in court – and nothing.

"If they take me serious, he would be alive today. The court failed me, they failed my child, and the only time you feel it is when it reaches home.

"Everybody failed him."

She said her brother was killed after he associated with the same company she warned her son about. She believes his killing was linked to the friends he kept, and that his friends know who is responsible for his death.

Maloney was described as a good footballer who enjoyed fixing broken appliances. To Hall her son was not a bad child, he just needed some help.

"He just wanted the fast life because that is what they were giving him."

Police reports said Maloney was shot several times around 10.30 pm when he returned to his apartment. Neighbours saw him and called the police. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Hall said the family is having a hard time coming to terms with Maloney's death.

"I wouldn't say I expected it to happen, because I tried," she told Newsday.

She called on young people to take their education seriously and urged parents never to give up on their children.

This story was originally published with the title "Mother: The court failed me" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Kinda Hall, mother of 17-year-old Sadiuq Maloney tried everything she could to save her son from being drawn into gang activity. She even begged the courts to have him placed in a rehabilitation centre. But despite her attempts he was constantly drawn to the "fast life."

That life ended last Thursday when he was ambushed by gunmen in an apartment on Las Lomas Street, St Helena Village. Outside the Forensic Science Centre in St James, Hall told Newsday on Monday morning that her son could have still been alive if the courts had done what she begged them to do a year ago.

She said the family tried to talk her son out of following bad company many times and even moved to out of the area where they lived to get him away from the criminal element. These attempts didn't work.

Maloney moved back to Chaguanas and was staying by a friend whom Hall had warned him to stay away from. When the family tried to convince him to return home, his mother said, "he told me, 'don't come to look for me because people out for me.'"

She said the Children Court was her last hope. "I told the court he was unruly and I brought evidence in a video I got from someone with him robbing a place. I asked them (to) take him from where he was and put him somewhere, YTC or a home. After a year in court they told me they cannot do anything because the Chinese people he robbed from didn't make a formal report."

"I went down on my knees in that court and yet still nothing. If they had taken me seriously, my boy might have been be alive today. The courts have failed me, they failed my child and the only time you feel it is when it reaches home. "

Police said Maloney was shot several times around 10.30 pm when he returned to his apartment. Neighbours saw Maloney on the ground and called the police. He was pronounced dead on the scene.