Samoa - Fa'anunu and Tafiau Faiupu's 3 children: Lasi Fa'anunu, Motumotu and Fa’afetaitasi case

  Parents Tafiau and Fa'anunu Faiupu
A translator explained Western adoption to the devout LDS parents, "It's something like a mission."

Fa'anunu and Tafiau Faiupu believed the children would be educated in the U.S. and cared for by families who shared their Mormon faith, then returned to Samoa. Fa'anunu and his wife were first approached by Sapati who explained adoption as an education program. They believed the words of Dan Wakefield, fellow LDS church member, over any statements made by lawyers.

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First a they placed a infant girl, Fa’afetaitasi (aka Faafetaitasi leuluaimisiona), with FOC's Wakefield, and asked to meet the adoptive family - Wakefield took her to the Utah adoptive family who left with her.

One year later, Wakefield wanted to place Lasi Fa'anunu (8 or possibly 6), and his sister Motumotu, 5. Fa'anunu said he still had no pictures and letters about the baby from the first family, so he wouldn't place the 2 siblings. Wakefield finally gave them a picture of the baby, so the children began staying 4 days a week at a FOC's nanny house in Ululoloa. Sometimes the 8 year old was left in charge of the nanny house with no adults.

After abuse claims surfaced about Ululola, the sibs were moved to FOC's nanny house at Letogo. Lasi Fa'anunu and his sister Motumotu were apparently placed with the same adoptive family. Before he left, the 8 year old (or 6 year old)  promised his father he would look after the 5 year old and the infant, (already placed with a different family), and then return to Samoa with his two sisters.

Date: 2003-01-01

Number of children: 3

Location

Faleasiu-uta
Samoa