Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On February 1, 2026 a late‑night domestic disturbance in the village of Se’etaga once again brought attention to the ongoing issue of alcohol‑related violence in local households, after police arrested a man accused of assaulting his partner while she was holding their infant child.

The defendant was later charged with:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV) with Penalty Enhancement, a class C misdemeanor but with penalty enhancement to one class above the class otherwise provided, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of not more than $500, or both imprisonment and fine;

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV) with Penalty Enhancement, a class A misdemeanor but with penalty enhancement to one class above the class otherwise provided, a class D felony punishable by imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of not less than $150, or both; and,

Count 3: Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a class A misdemeanor but with penalty enhancement to one class above the class otherwise provided, a class D felony punishable by imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of not less than $150, or both.

The defendant was held without bail.

(Samoa News has withheld the names of those involved to protect the identities of the minors involved.)

According to the court affidavit, filed in District Court on Feb. 2nd, the incident unfolded shortly before midnight of February 1st, when the suspect returned home intoxicated and began arguing with his partner inside their shared residence. The couple’s young children were asleep in the room at the time. When the victim did not respond to the suspect’s accusations of infidelity — he allegedly became increasingly aggressive.

The victim told police that the suspect slapped her face and head seven times with an open hand while she was carrying their 1‑year‑old son. She cried out for help as the children awoke in fear and began to cry. The commotion alerted an older family member who was also sleeping in the home.

Police say the family member reported hearing someone sobbing and calling for help shortly before midnight. Recognizing the pattern of behavior, she confronted the suspect and yelled at him to stop as the situation escalated. When he ignored her warnings, she immediately contacted Leone Police Substation (LPS) and left the house, waiting by the roadside in distress for officers to arrive.

A police team arrived at approximately 1:11 a.m. and found the family member still standing by the road, visibly shaken. She directed officers to the residence and provided them with her account of the incident. She also noted that the suspect becomes violent when intoxicated and had previously been incarcerated for a similar domestic assault incident the year before.

Inside the home, officers interviewed the victim, who expressed deep fear for her safety and the safety of her young children. She explained that the suspect’s violent behavior occurs whenever he drinks excessively and that the tension and aggression had continued throughout the night before the physical assault took place.

Though she declined medical attention and exhibited no visible injuries, she told police she was scared that something worse could happen if the suspect were released.

After speaking with the victim and the reporting family member, officers approached the suspect, placed him under arrest, and transported him to LPS. There, he was advised of his rights but refused to answer questions regarding the incident.

He was booked and taken to the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available District Court session.

Court documents confirm that the man has a prior conviction for third‑degree assault involving domestic violence, recorded in 2022.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision. Under local law, defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty by the court. ]