The Ministry of Police and Prisons are continuing its investigation into the decomposed body of a 14-year-old street vendor that was discovered in Moamoa over six months ago.
This was confirmed by Deputy Commissioner, Auapaaau Logoitino Filipo in response to questions from Radio Polynesia.
He said the Police have no new leads on their investigation. The body was discovered by someone heading to their plantation. The same day a couple came forward to the police claiming that is the body of their son, who left their home for over two weeks.
He said the police are treating this as a homicide, but preliminary investigation says that it was self-inflicted.
His parents say their son did not attend school and was selling products on the streets. Furthermore, the parents reported that their son, would leave their house for weeks at a time, and after scolding him, he left and did not return home.
This is one of the bodies at the morgue requiring a post mortem, that District Court Judge and Coroner, Alalatoa Rosella Papalii mentioned in her latest memorandum to Attorney General Su’a Hellene Wallwork and the Ministry of Health.
In her last correspondence, obtained by Radio Polynesia, dated 15 February 2022 Judge Papalii says the bodies at the morgue included a decomposed body of a male 14-year-old infant of Moamoa.
“However, his identity and cause of death are questionable.”
Judge Papalii cited section 16 subsection 6 of the Coroner’s Act the post mortem should be conducted immediately if any delay would or may limit the ability of the pathologist to determine the cause of death, if it is the body of an infant, referring to the 14-year-old.
Adding that it’s an understatement to say that the delay in conducting post mortems in a timely manner is a recurring problem. But it will continue if a full-time pathologist is not sourced as a matter of priority and urgency.”
