Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On January 8, 2026, a mother walked into the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) regarding a case of alleged property damage involving a minivan.

The suspect was later charged with:

Count 1: Property Damage in the First Degree, a class D felony but with a penalty enhancement by one class above the other class provided (Class C felony), punishable by a term of imprisonment for up to seven years, a fine not less than $150, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2: Arson in the Third Degree, a class D felony but with a penalty enhancement by one class above the other class provided (Class C felony), punishable by a term of imprisonment for up to seven years, a fine not less than $150, or both.

The defendant was held without bail.

(Samoa News has withheld the names of those involved to protect the identity of the minor involved in this case.)

According to the court affidavit, filed in the District Court on Jan. 14th, a woman went to the TPS in the afternoon to report damage to her minivan. She told officers that the damage had occurred several days earlier, around New Year’s Eve, while the vehicle was being used by a family member.

The woman reported that the interior roof of the minivan had been burned and that the dashboard touchscreen was damaged.

The woman further explained that she had been busy attending hospital appointments and had allowed a relative by marriage to use her minivan during that time. She stated that the vehicle had been used to “travel back and forth to Le Aute” to drop people off and to take her son to and from elementary school.

During this period, her son (minor) was often with the relative in the vehicle and was able to observe what was happening.

The woman further told officers that when she first questioned her son about how the damage occurred, he said that he did not know. She later discovered that this statement was untrue and believed that her son knew what had actually happened to the minivan but had chosen not to tell her.

Officers assisted the woman in preparing a formal report.

On the same day, police interviewed the woman’s son while she was present. During the interview, the son admitted that he had lied about not knowing how the damage occurred. He stated that he felt guilty and wanted to provide a written statement explaining what had happened.

In his statement, the son told police that around New Year’s Eve, the individual who had been using the vehicle was intoxicated. He reported that the individual entered the minivan and used a short metal pipe to strike and damage the dashboard touchscreen inside the vehicle. After damaging the dashboard, the individual allegedly used a lighter to ignite the interior roof of the minivan.

The son stated that the roof lining began to burn and that the individual attempted to extinguish the fire using a towel. He said the fire was put out before it could spread further. However, the burning reportedly left visible scorch marks and damage to the interior ceiling.

The son further told officers that after the incident, the individual instructed him to lie about what had happened. He said he was told to claim that the damage was accidental or to say that he himself had caused the damage if questioned by his mother. The son explained that he initially followed this instruction out of fear or uncertainty but later decided to tell the truth.

Police documented the damage to the minivan as part of their investigation. An officer photographed the vehicle using a personal phone. The photographs reportedly showed a broken touchscreen on the dashboard and burn marks on the interior roof lining of the minivan. These photographs were taken as evidence to support the victim’s report.

Following the interviews and documentation of the damage, police initiated a follow-up investigation to locate the suspect believed to be responsible for damaging the vehicle.

Authorities stated that several attempts were made to locate the suspect at known locations and in surrounding areas; however, those attempts were unsuccessful. Police indicated that efforts to locate the suspect are ongoing.

The victim told officers that she had obtained an estimate for the cost of repairing the minivan — repairs were expected to cost between $5,000 and $6,000.

Police noted that the suspect is related to the victim by marriage.

[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. ra]