Samoa Police are treating three deaths in the week of February 20 as suicides, including a boy from Savaii and two women (both mothers).
Deputy Police Commissioner Papalii Monalisa Tiai-Keti expressed concern that one of the deaths was an 11-year-old boy.
She said, the death of a young boy brings another level of seriousness to action that needs to be taken.
Papalii says, the two women, between 20-35 years of age, were both married and with children.
The Deputy Commissioner added that relationship problems has been suggested as a contributing factor to the women taking their lives.
She said, “You are not alone. Help is available. We urge members of the public to contact our NGOs with specialized services, where help is available.”
Papali’i told local media, last December, that according to Police records, the number of suicides in Samoa had risen to 28 for 2022, compared to 19 in 2021.
“That is an increase of close to 50%,” Papalii said at the time.
