Woman found dead inside Vatuwaqa home

A woman believed to be in her mid-to-late 20s was found dead inside a house in Vatuwaqa, Suva last Friday.

Roadside vendors who entered the house and saw the body told this masthead they believed the death was suspicious and appeared to be a suicide.

They said the woman was found on her knees when her body was discovered. She was reportedly alone inside the house at the time.

Police have yet to confirm the cause of death and are awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination. Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed the death.

“We are awaiting the result of post mortem examination to confirm cause of death,” Ms Naisoro said.

The circumstances surrounding the woman’s death remain unclear, with police investigations continuing.

The death comes as the latest Fiji Police Force statistics, provided by the Ministry of Women, show a 27 per cent increase in suicide and attempted suicide cases.

The figures show 71 cases were recorded between January 1 and May 16, 2025, compared with 56 during the same period in 2024.

Of the 71 cases, 40 were suicide deaths and 31 were attempted suicides. This compares with 31 suicide deaths and 25 attempted suicides during the same period last year.

Men accounted for the majority of suicide deaths, with 30 of the 40 deaths involving males. Young people were also among those who died.

Eight suicide deaths were recorded among people aged 18 to 24, while another eight were recorded among those aged 32 to 38.

The youngest person recorded was a 12-year-old girl. Police records show hanging was the most common method recorded during the period.

The statistics also show that the reasons behind 32 of the 40 suicide deaths were not determined.

Other recorded reasons included family disputes, arguments with spouses, relationship problems, pending court cases and other personal circumstances.

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