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Local
Midnight squabble over baby feed turns fatal
By fijitimes.com
May 11, 2008 - 4:18:36 PM

The suspect, a former journalist, was arrested at his parents' home by police who were called to the Ragg Avenue, Namadi Heights residence in Suva where the deceased was discovered in a pool of blood.

Police said the woman, known only as Wendy and of British descent, was stabbed several times.

A neighbour, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the couple had just moved into the home two weeks ago.

"I heard them arguing after midnight (yesterday) before there were sounds of glass breaking and shattering," the neighbour said. "Then the woman was shouting 'Don't, don't' before I heard the man making noises."

She said he was making grunting sounds before the woman stopped screaming.

The neighbour said she then saw the man drive away from the house with their two children.

She woke her husband and told him to check on the woman, who they saw lying in a pool of blood in the sitting room.

The neighbour said they immediately called the police, who arrived after 10 minutes and woke up the woman's 16-year-old son, who slept in the maid's quarters.

Police spokesman Atunaisa Sokomuri said the suspect was being questioned and would be charged.

"The deceased is 39 years old and is a self-employed real estate agent while the accused is 28 years old and works for AusAid," said Mr Sokomuri.

"They had come back from dinner at a restaurant in town but during the dinner, the suspect was having differences with his stepson, the victim's 16-year-old son."

He said they went straight to sleep when they returned home but the suspect woke up in the middle of the night to feed their three-month-old baby.

Mr Sokomuri said the victim woke up and started arguing with the suspect who was drinking beer.

He said the couple were arguing over who was to feed the baby.

At this point the suspect said he would take both their children to his parents' home at Vatuwaqa.

He said the victim threw the beer bottle at the suspect and it hit the baby.

"The suspect got angry, went to the kitchen, got a knife and stabbed the woman," Mr Sokomuri said.

A post mortem examination of the woman's body is expected today.

Last night, a policeman guarded the suspect's vehicle at his parents' residence.

The couple have two sons - one about two years old and the other a three-month-old baby.

Their neighbour said the couple fought often.

She said they had argued last Thursday and the suspect had broken a window in their bedroom.



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