SUVA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- A young mother of two was mourned by her loved ones following her tragic death in what police believe to be a case of domestic violence.

Makelesi Balekana, 25, died after a violent altercation at her home in Lautoka.

"We just heard them arguing. Then it became a fight. Things happened so fast," her sister-in-law recalled.

Family members rushed to the scene and transported Makelesi to Lautoka Hospital. Tragically, doctors pronounced her dead on arrival, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation reported on Tuesday.

According to police, her husband fled the scene after the incident but later returned and was taken into custody. A full investigation was underway, and police were treating the case as a suspected domestic violence-related homicide.

Domestic violence in Fiji is pervasive, one of the highest rates globally.

According to the Fiji Women's Crisis Center, an estimated 64 percent of women in intimate relationships in Fiji have experienced physical or sexual violence at the hands of a partner. ■