Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A woman 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 and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, both class A misdemeanors.

Bail is set at $5,000.

THE CASE

The investigation disclosed on Mar. 5, 2022 at about 6:51a.m, a woman contacted the TPS regarding her sister (defendant) abusing her 12-year-old 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 heard loud noises from her sister’s residence and she decided to walk over to see what was going on. She stated that when she got to her sister’s residence, she heard her nephew (defendant’s son) screaming and she couldn’t open the door, so she peeked through the window and saw her sister kicking her nephew on his left side and hitting her nephew’s head against the wall. She was then able to open the door and get her nephew out of the house and called the police station.

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 the ambulance. The victim denied needing any medical assistance. The officers left the scene with the defendant and the victim, heading back to the TPS for further investigation.

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

He asked his mom again for his laptop and that’s when his mom turned around and hit his head against the wall 3 times, kicked him on his left side 3 times and choked him. The victim stated that his mom locked him inside the house until he heard his aunt 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 in December of last year that his mom hit his back using her hands 3 or 5 times, and in January of this year she slapped him on his back one or 2 times for being disobedient.

Officers contacted the Child Protective Services (CPS) in regard to the incident and CPS agents conducted their assessment and investigated the matter. After their assessment, they decided that the victim would be placed at the shelter for his safety.

After being Mirandized, the mother of victim refused to make a statement.