Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On October 22, 2024, a male individual contacted the police station to request assistance regarding his daughter who was allegedly causing a disturbance at their home.

The female defendant was apprehended and charged with Count 1: Private Peace DIsturbance (DV), A class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $3,000.

According to the affidavit, on October 22nd, at about 1:40 p.m., a male individual requested police assistance claiming his daughter, Esther Tufuga (suspect) was allegedly burning his weed eater.

Police officers were dispatched to the call and upon arrival, they observed Ms Tufuga sitting at the back of the house. Police officers approached and detained the suspect for safety reasons before conducting their field investigation.

The officers were briefed by the suspect’s father (later identified as the victim) on the matter.

According to the victim, he verbally stated that he got back to the house around 1:30 p.m. from the store. He saw the suspect burning the weed eater that he had borrowed from a friend. When he tried to approach the suspect, she cursed at him in Samoan and told him “to mind his own business”. The suspect then pushed him aside and slammed the door shut while the victim’s left hand got stuck in the door; however, due to the door’s poor condition, no physical injuries were visible.

The victim explained that “he was powerless against his daughter so he told his wife to call for police assistance.”

According to the victim’s wife (witness), after the victim left to go to the store to buy bread, the suspect walked into the house and pried open their room door with a kitchen knife and took the weed eater from the room. When she asked the suspect where she was taking it, the suspect replied “it’s none of your business, just leave me alone.”

The suspect continued walking outside with the weed eater. Not long after walking outside, the witness said she noticed smoke coming from their backyard. When the victim got back from the store she asked the suspect “why she would do such a thing”. The witness stated that she heard the suspect cursing at her father.

The affidavit also stated that both parents informed the authorities that this has been an ongoing issue with their daughter. Also, there are times when she would break everything in the house or also cause trouble but never does anything to help at the house. The parents also stated that they are frightened by her actions and her strength given the fact that they are older and are not able to stop her when she acts up.

Upon arrival at the police station, the defendant was Mirandized and refused to make a statement.

She was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 24-year-old U.S National.