Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On October 12, 2024, a female individual contacted the Tafuna Police Substation to report that her sister was allegedly causing a disturbance and had assaulted her (suspect) son.

The defendant was arrested 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; and,

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one-year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

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

According to the affidavit, on October 12th, at about 10:00 a.m., a female individual called the TPS to report her sister. The reporter stated that her sister was allegedly yelling and acting out of character at her house.

Police officers responded to the call and before arriving at the scene, they observed a female wearing a pink shirt and purple pants (as described by the reporter), sitting in front of the village council house by herself. The officers approached the female, who was later identified as Telesia Tafilele.

The officers approached Tafilele, apprehended her and transported her to the TPS.

Officers returned to the reporter’s residence to further investigate the matter.

Upon arrival at the scene, officers met with the reporter (sister of the suspect) who stated that she was shocked when she heard the suspect calling out to one of her (suspect’s) sons that lives with her (sister/reporter).

According to the reporter, the suspect was calling and yelling out to her son repeatedly and was very frustrated. She tried to calm the suspect down but was unsuccessful. The suspect walked onto her front patio, opened the door and immediately started kicking her son in his back and head while he was laying on the floor.

Moreover, the suspect was so aggravated by her son that she continued by grabbing a plastic chair and hitting him on the back. The witness explained that she had a hard time chasing the suspect out of her patio because the suspect continued with her belligerent behavior. When the suspect finally walked out of the patio, she slammed the patio door and broke it.

The witness stated that’s when she called the police, and when the suspect heard her calling the police, she walked away from the house. The witness also informed the officers that this isn’t the first time that the suspect has done this. She stated that the suspect’s behavior changes when she needs money.

Police officers also met with the victim, who said he didn’t know that the suspect would do such a thing, because he was laying on the floor; that he was clueless, and that was also sick. The victim explained that he was admitted to the hospital the day before, so he wasn’t feeling well.

Furthermore, when the suspect started kicking him in the back and in his head, he jumped away from her. He explained that the suspect also grabbed a chair and started hitting him with it.

The suspect was Mirandized upon arrival at the TPS and agreed to provide a statement.

According to the suspect, she was mad at her son because it had been two weeks and he hasn’t given her any money. She explained that she needs medication but she doesn’t have any money. Moreover, she was hungry and thirsty but the victim never gave her money.

She stated that on Friday, she went to the victim’s workplace to look for him. However, she found out that he was taken to the hospital. Then on Saturday, October 12, 2024, she decided to go to her sister’s house where her son stays and give him a piece of her mind. She admitted that when she got there, she saw the victim lying on the floor in the front patio. She then started kicking the victim in his back and behind his head. She also yelled at the victim that she needed money.

The suspect 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 48-year-old citizen of Samoa.