Police are investigating a case involving a woman in her 20s who allegedly abandoned her newborn twins in a bathroom trash bin at her home last week.

Police Commissioner Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo confirmed that the incident occurred in one of the villages in the Faleata No.1 district.

He said this woman allegedly concealed her pregnancy from her family and gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl in the bathroom of her home.

She allegedly then abandoned her newborn twins in the bathroom trash bin and the matter only came to light when the young woman became seriously ill and was taken by her family to the hospital.

It was reported by police that the doctors informed the woman and her family that she had recently given birth and that led the family to return home only to find the twins had died.

Police have also confirmed that the suspect is recovering and will be charged later on after the doctors would assess her physically and mentally after this incident.

Auapa'au said the suspect will most likely face a manslaughter charge when she recovers and also after the police complete their investigations into the matter.

Police Commissioner Auapa'au said this was a great opportunity to remind young mothers to seek assistance if there are difficulties faced by them during pregnancy.

He also stated that these gifts from God are precious and many families are longing to have babies.

There free Helpline for the Samoa Victim Support Group to contact in such instances is 800-7874. 

In the past, efforts were made by the government to try and stop the abandonment of babies.

In 2019, the then Minister of Health Faimalotoa Kika Stowers called on the communities to unite as part of efforts to stop this problem.

In an interview with the media that year, Faimalotoa said this mortifying and inhumane issue needs to be addressed.

That came after a discovery of two abandoned babies over the space of a month and a call was made for the establishment of a 'baby hatch' programme by the National Council of Churches.