RSIPF in Western Province investigates alleged murder of two-year old by another family member

Officers of the Royal Solomon Island Police Force (RSIPF) in Noro, Western Province are investigating an alleged murder incident which resulted in the death of a –two-year old female child in the township on 18 April 2020.

Officer Commanding Station (OCS) in Noro, Staff Sergeant MacArthur Pania says, “A mother and her two children were at their house at Backway, Noro. The mother was in the room while the two children were in the veranda having mince for lunch.”

“An initial report on the alleged incident say the elder son arrived at the house and noticed the two children had eaten the mince, so he grabbed the plate from his siblings and broke it. The mother heard the plate broke so she came out from her room and demanded who broke the plate. The elder son denied breaking the plate. He then took the serving spoon made of metal and said he will shoot his younger brother and eventually shot him with the serving spoon.”

“The serving spoon missed the younger brother and the sharp handle of the serving spoon went into the soft part of his two-year old sister’s head and she collapsed on the floor. The older brother removed the serving spoon from his sister’s head,” says Staff Sergeant Pania.

“The mother and two other neighbours took the child outside and washed the blood with water and rushed her to the Soltuna clinic. From the clinic she was rushed to Helena Goldie Hospital at Munda. There was no doctor at Helena Goldie Hospital so they took the victim back to Noro and took her to Gizo Hospital. The child was declared dead at Gizo Hospital. The body was then taken back to Noro.”

Staff Sergeant Pania further explains:

“The alleged incident was not reported to the Police until on the morning of 19 April when Police went to the scene of the alleged incident and took a single statement and opened a file on the incident as investigations continue into this sad incident.”

“I want to share my sincere condolence to the immediate family of the deceased as they mourn the loss of one of them. I call on any witness to the alleged incident to come forward with information that may assist police with investigation into the matter,” says Staff Sergeant Pania.