A fifth corrections officer has been charged in connection with the assault of a juvenile detainee who had escaped from the Juvenile Detention Center December 30 of last year.
Vaipou Tiaua is charged with third degree assault, endangering the welfare of a child and felonious restraint.
It’s alleged that when the juvenile was found and returned to the center on January 12, 2025, Tiaua cuffed him from behind and then punched him twice.
A corrections officer who viewed a video of the assault told police investigators that the video showed the victim standing on top of the cement slab inside the cell crying.
Tiaua told him to move closer, then allegedly slapped his mouth. The officer said he could hear a loud pop when Tiaua’s hand touched the detainee’s mouth.
The detainee continued to cry loudly and begged in Samoan to “please stop, I wont do it again,” according to court filings.
It’s alleged that Tiaua alternated using his left and right hands to slap the victim about five times.
The corrections officer who watched the video is quoted in the court documents saying that after Tiaua’s final slap the juvenile fell on his back and the defendant stepped onto the cement slab that he was lying on, and kicked his face. The officer said he saw the juvenile’s hands drop from blocking his face and he went completely silent for a short period as if he was unconscious.
Tiaua is being held on bail of $5,000.
The other corrections officers charged in the same case are Nick Sekai, Maureen Saupo, Fiafia Fiafia, and Chris Auvele. They face charges of third degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
