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Woman arrested and accused of child abuse

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ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A woman was arrested by police last month and accused of abusing her 13-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

Investigators reported that on Mar. 5, 2021 at about 6:51a.m, a woman contacted the Tafuna Police Station (TPS) regarding her sister (defendant) whom she accused of abusing her 13-year-old son in Mapusaga. Several police officers responded to the call and met up with the reporter.

According to the reporter’s verbal statement to police, she said that she heard loud noises from her sister’s residence and she walked 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 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 but the victim said that he did not need 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 then went to his house to get ready for school. He asked his mom (defendant) for his school uniform and his mom told him there was 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 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 December of last year his mom hit his back using her hands 3 or 5 times, and in January of this year she slapped him on his back 1 or 2 times for being disobedient.

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

After Mirandizing her, the suspect stated that she understood her rights and refused to make a statement.