Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A mother of four was arrested by police last month and accused of abusing her 12-year-old son.

The defendant is charged with one count of abuse of a child involving domestic violence, a class D felony; along with one count of 3rd degree assault and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, both class A misdemeanors.

Bail is set at $5,000.

THE CASE

Investigation of the issue disclosed on Apr. 25, 2021 at about 6:30a.m, an elderly woman contacted the Tafuna Police Station (TPS) regarding her niece (defendant) abusing her 12-year-old son in Ottoville. Several police officers responded to the call and met up with the woman who contacted police.

According to the reporter’s statement to police, she verbally stated that she heard loud noises from her niece’s residence and she ]walked over to see what was happening. She stated that when she got to her niece’s residence — which is not far from her home — she heard her niece’s son (defendant’s son) screaming and she couldn’t open the door, so she peeked through the window and saw her niece kicking her son in his left side and hitting his head against the wall. She was then able to open the door and get her niece’s son out of the house and walked him over to her house.

She then contacted the police station for assistance after she noticed bruises on the boy’s body.

Officers observed minor scratches on the right side of the victim’s neck and swelling on his left cheek and was asked if he needed an ambulance, to which the victim said that he did not need any medical assistance. The officers left the scene with the defendant and the victim, for the TPS for further investigation.

The victim was questioned by officers. During the interview, the victim stated that he was sleeping at his aunty’s house (reporter). He woke up went to his house to get ready for school. He asked his mom (defendant) for his school uniform and his mom told him there’s no school today.

He asked his mom again for his school uniform and that’s when his mom turned around and hit his head against the wall 4 times, kicked him in his left side 4 times and choked him. The victim stated that his mom locked him inside the house until he heard his aunty at the door and ran out of the house.

The victim further stated to officers that this is not the first time his mom has abused him. The victim recalls, that it was November of last year his mom hit his back using her hands 3 or 5 times. In January and March of this year she slapped him on his back 1 or 2 times for being disobedient.

Officers contacted the Child Protective Services (CPS) regarding the incident and CPS agents conducted their assessment and investigation regarding this matter. After their assessment, it was then they decided that the victim should be placed at a shelter for his safety.

After being Mirandized, the suspect stated that she understood her rights and refused to make a statement. The suspect was released to go home while investigators are awaiting a medical report.

The defendant was arrested last month pursuant to an arrest warrant from the court.