killing shocks community Grandmother charged with drowning tot By Ray Gabbara
T
he Chaldean community was shocked last month by the death of 4-year-old DeAngelo Tobia AlKasmikha, allegedly at the hands of his grandmother. DeAngelo was visiting his maternal grandmother, Terry Rita Borgia, for the weekend when his life was cut short. On the morning of January 11, Clinton Township Police responded to a 911 phone call from Tanina Borgia, DeAngelo’s aunt, who said the boy was laying unresponsively in a few inches of bathtub water. Prior to the arrival of EMS, Borgia performed CPR on the boy, but he was not breathing. Emergency responders also tried CPR with no luck. Paramedics rushed DeAngelo to Henry Ford Hospital in Clinton Township where he was pronounced dead. The suspicious nature of the incident led police to question DeAngelo’s ItalianAmerican grandmother, Terry Rita Borgia, 60, of Clinton Township. “Borgia informed police that she indeed murdered the boy,” said Lina Najor, another of DeAngelo’s aunts. “But as soon as they began in-depth questioning, she immediately [took] the Fifth Amendment.” Two days later, Borgia was charged with DeAngelo’s murder. Borgia, who reportedly has a history of mental illness, reportedly showed no emotion in the presence of EMS paramedics and the police. Neighbors and other people in the community said she consistently exhibited abnormal behavior. “We would have never in a million years
have thought she would murder DeAngelo; she was always there for him and showed that she loved him,” said Najor. Borgia is presently in Macomb County Jail with no bond option. She was scheduled to appear in court on January 27, past press time. Both DeAngelo and Borgia reportedly had several bruises on their bodies, suggesting the boy battled for his life. “I have met with the detective on multiple occasions but have not gotten any answers as to why she murdered my nephew,” Najor said. “The detective claims that if he releases any information, it could ruin his investigation.” Those who knew DeAngelo say he was a precious little boy who always had a beautiful smile. He is survived by his parents, Bashar and Amy Al-Kasmikha, and two siblings. “It’s difficult to accept such reality, but God has a different plan for everyone,” said Fr. Manuel Boji, the pastor at Mother of God Chaldean Catholic Church where DeAngelo’s funeral mass services took place. Southfield Funeral Home handled the funeral. “It is always very sad to deal with a death of a child,” said Anthony Yono, administrative assistant. “It is not like dealing with the death of an elderly person. When an elderly person dies, we all pray for them and thank God for allowing them to live a long life. But in a situation like this, it is so much harder to recover.”
DeAngelo Tobia Al-Kasmikha was 4 years old.
FEBRUARY 2010
CHALDEAN NEWS 27