Ombudsman Calls on Samoa Media to Protect Children in Reporting Tragic Deaths

Police Investigating Deaths of Two Young Siblings

The Ombudsman’s Open Letter follows the deaths of a brother and sister at Nofoali’i on Sunday 13 September 2026.

Acting Police Commissioner Leiataua Samuelu Afamasaga has confirmed that Police are investigating the deaths of the two young people: an 18-year-old male and his 15-year-old sister.

Police have not publicly confirmed the cause of either death and investigations into the circumstances surrounding their deaths are continuing.

It is against this background that the Ombudsman, who had served as a Judge for over 26 years and a member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) for eight years, raised concerns about two separate Samoa Observer articles.

The articles identified the siblings by name, and published details about their personal and family circumstances.

The Ombudsman referred specifically to an initial story titled “Police investigate after young brother and sister die in Nofoali’i” and a subsequent article, “Parents mourn children after Nofoali’i deaths”.

The second report identified the siblings and included details about their personal circumstances and interviews with immediate family members.

In his Open Letter, Vui says the children are suspected to have died in tragic circumstances and the disclosure of their names, ages and personal circumstances was a “grave violation of their rights to privacy and dignity.”

Cause of Death Not Officially Confirmed

A central concern raised by the Ombudsman is the reporting surrounding the possible cause of the siblings’ deaths while Police investigations remain underway.

The Ombudsman said that when the two Observer articles were read together, there could arise genuine doubt about the cause of death.

He warned against media explicitly or implicitly connecting an ongoing investigation with a particular cause of death without official confirmation, saying this can fuel community speculation and amplify social media rumours.

This is particularly important where suicide is suspected.

World Health Organization guidance urges media organisations to exercise considerable care when reporting suicide.

WHO advises against sensational coverage, unnecessary details of the method or location, simplistic explanations for a death, and excessive or repetitive coverage.

WHO also encourages responsible reporting that supports prevention and help-seeking.

Privacy and the Rights of Children

The Ombudsman also reminded Samoa’s media of the country’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

Article 16 of the Convention protects children against arbitrary or unlawful interference with their privacy and family, and against unlawful attacks on their honour and reputation.

UNICEF’s ethical guidance similarly places strong emphasis on the dignity, privacy and best interests of children when journalists make decisions about identification and publication.

The Ombudsman acknowledged the important role of the media in informing the public and encouraging constructive discussion about issues affecting children and young people.

Vui cautioned, however, that sensational or pervasive coverage of child deaths, particularly before all relevant circumstances are established, can undermine those goals and erode public trust in journalism.

Ombudsman Calls for Change

The Ombudsman has called on the Samoa Observer and all media practitioners to immediately review their editorial policies on reporting deaths involving children and young people.

He has also encouraged Samoa’s media to adopt international best-practice guidelines, including those developed by WHO and UNICEF, and to provide journalists with training on ethical reporting standards that uphold human rights and protect vulnerable groups.

The Office of the Ombudsman has offered to work with media organisations and other stakeholders on training and dialogue.

The Open Letter is a timely reminder for Samoa’s media industry as a whole.

Reporting difficult and tragic events is part of the responsibility of the media. But so too is exercising judgement over what information genuinely needs to be made public – particularly when children are involved and the facts surrounding a death are still being investigated.

For Samoa’s media, the standard should be straightforward: report what is known, clearly distinguish fact from speculation, respect grieving families, and protect children where publication of their identity or personal circumstances serves no necessary public interest.

Being first with a story should never be more important than getting it right – and reporting it responsibly.

A Standard for All Samoa Media

The concerns raised by the Ombudsman should not be viewed as an issue for one newspaper alone.

They are a timely reminder for every media organisation in Samoa – including Samoa Global News – that being able to publish information or receiving parental consent does not always mean that it should be published, especially when it comes to children.

A name or photograph appearing on social media does not automatically make it appropriate for a news organisation to republish it. Neither does another media organisation publishing the information first remove the responsibility of every editor who follows.

There is a difference between public interest and public curiosity.

Competition for readership, clicks and being first with a story must not override the responsibility to report accurately and to protect children, vulnerable people and families experiencing grief. That standard must apply equally across Samoa’s media.

Following the Ombudsman’s Open Letter, Samoa Global News has reviewed and strengthened its own editorial protocols covering child deaths, suspected suicide and confirmed suicide.

Under the SGN protocol, children involved in highly sensitive deaths will ordinarily not be identified while investigations remain underway.

Suicide will not be reported as an established cause of death without confirmation from an appropriate authoritative source.

Senior editorial approval is also required before identifying a child in highly sensitive circumstances.

SNAPSHOT of SGN PRE-PUBLICATION CHECKLIST

Before publishing a story involving a child’s death or suspected suicide, the reporter/editor should be able to answer:

CAUSE OF DEATH
□ Is it officially confirmed?
□ Have we clearly separated confirmed facts from allegations, family statements and speculation?

IDENTITY
□ Is there a genuine reason to identify the child?
□ Have privacy and dignity been considered?
□ Have potential consequences for siblings and family been considered?

SUICIDE REPORTING
□ Have method and unnecessary location details been removed?
□ Does the headline avoid sensationalism?
□ Have we avoided suggesting one simple reason for the death?
□ Would support/help-seeking information improve the story?

IMAGES
□ Are photographs necessary and appropriate?
□ Could an image cause additional harm or distress?

PUBLIC INTEREST
□ What legitimate public interest is served by publishing these details?

FINAL TEST

If this were our child or our family, could we defend every detail we have chosen to publish as necessary, accurate, fair and respectful?

From SGN’s Online Public Notice Board