UPDATED: A Tongan community is dumbfounded after a mother and her daughter were found lying dead in a pool of blood in their home near Viseisei, Lautoka in Fiji, on Wednesday 18.
Read more at: http://fijilive.com/news/2013/12/woman-22-charged-over-lautoka-murder/56037.Fijilive
Copyright 2013 © Fijilive.com
Read more at: http://fijilive.com/news/2013/12/woman-22-charged-over-lautoka-murder/56037.Fijilive
Copyright 2013 © Fijilive.com
Fiji Times Online report says the deceased were Tongan mother Sisi Taufa Patolo, 33, and her seven-month-old baby Sarah Patolo.
Three other children Fisi Peau, 5, Grace Patolo, 5, Ana Kaitonua, 3 are also being hospitalised after allegedly being knifed by the attacker, the website says.
The children are in critical condition.
Official statement says, "Police received a report from health authorities that a woman and her child were brought to the hospital and were pronounced dead on arrival”.
The 22-year-old, Priya Darshani who was in a de facto relationship with the father, Mokai Patolo was charged Sunday 22 with two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder following the brutal attacks.
Darshani will appear at the High Court in Lautoka for mention on January 24, 2014.
It was alleged a domestic dispute between the deceased and Darshani had been the cause of the gruesome incident.
Police said the deceased and Darshani were staying in the same house with a 31 old man in defacto relationship.
Tongan community members in Lautoka, who had mobilized and prayed for the deceased were in disbelief after hearing the news that the mother and her children had been slain and injured.
The Secretary of the Tongan Community committee in Fiji Eleni Tevi was reported by the Fiji Times as saying:
"I am starting to dialogue with the committee about the incident," she said.
"I am contacting Tongans living in Tonga about the identity of the deceased.
"And I will be looking into people who wish to assist in terms of the funeral arrangements and perhaps Christmas presents for the children."
"The unfortunate inhumane incident of the killing itself is sad because it happened during a joyous occasion," she said.
"If you wish to help, this is a good way to help for Christmas."
Ms Tevi is urging members of the public and Tongans in Fiji to come forward and assist the three children during this time of "uncertainty in their lives".
