“Wake Up, Mum… Please Wake Up” — The Heart-Shattering Moment Three Kids Begged Their Dead Mother at Her Casket. Three tiny voices echoed through the funeral home in Sydney: young children—Joshua, Salote, and Rupeni—clinging to the edge of their mum’s open casket, sobbing, pleading for her to open her eyes, to smile like she always did, to come back.
They didn’t understand. How could Mum, the loving Fijian-Australian mum-of-three who moved to Australia for a better life, who video-called them every day from Sydney, who dreamed of bringing them over for school and hugs… just lie there forever?
This isn’t just a funeral—it’s a nightmare no child should face. Domestic violence stole their world. The scene has gone viral, sparking outrage and calls for change. Hold your kids extra tight tonight. Share if this broke you too. Justice for Anaseini. Say her name.
In a private funeral service that has since reverberated across social media and the Fijian diaspora, three young children broke down in uncontrollable sobs at their mother’s open casket, repeatedly begging Anaseini Waqavuki to “wake up” in a scene witnesses described as shattering even the strongest hearts.
Anaseini Waqavuki, 38, a proud Fijian-Australian mother of three, was fatally stabbed in her Quakers Hill home in Sydney’s northwest on December 28, 2025, alongside 30-year-old Epi Naitini, who died later in hospital from his wounds. A 47-year-old man, Anare Vunitabua—identified as Waqavuki’s former partner—was charged with two counts of murder following the early-morning attack. Police classified the incident as domestic violence-related, with the suspect known to authorities and the victims.
Waqavuki, who moved from Fiji to Australia in 2018 seeking better opportunities, was remembered by family as a selfless, joyful parent who prioritized her children—Joshua, Salote, and Rupeni—above all else. She maintained close ties through daily video calls and messages despite the distance, with plans to eventually bring them to Australia for education and family unity. Her mother, Saini Rokoiwati (also referred to as Saini Rokowati), told outlets like FBC News and 7NEWS that Anaseini was the “perfect mother,” always smiling, a people person who dreamed big for her kids and never expected violence to end her life.
The funeral, held in Sydney after family efforts to secure visas and travel for the children from Fiji, became a focal point of profound grief. Niece Georgina Bulewa, who organized a GoFundMe to cover funeral costs, flights, and support, described the emotional toll. In viral social media clips and accounts shared within Fijian community groups, the children approached the casket, tiny hands reaching out, voices cracking as they pleaded for their mother to respond. “Wake up, Mum… please wake up,” they cried, not fully grasping the permanence of death. Witnesses reported the room falling silent except for their sobs, with adults choking back tears at the innocence confronting irreversible loss.
The attack unfolded just before 5 a.m. on December 28. Police found Waqavuki deceased in the kitchen of her Illabo Street home with multiple stab wounds. Naitini, discovered injured on the footpath outside with wounds to his stomach and hands, was rushed to Liverpool Hospital but succumbed around 9 a.m. Neighbors reported hearing screams and rushed to help before emergency services arrived. Vunitabua allegedly fled the scene, discarded a knife at a petrol station, then surrendered at Blacktown Police Station around 5:30 a.m. He has since appeared in court facing the charges, with investigations ongoing.
Family and friends have pushed back against early media characterizations, emphasizing that Naitini was a close friend—not a romantic partner as some initial reports suggested—and happily married with ties back in Fiji. Waqavuki had ended her six-year relationship with Vunitabua two months prior, a detail relatives say contributed to the motive. The Fijian community in Australia and back home has rallied, with tributes highlighting Waqavuki’s warmth and the broader impact of domestic violence. She becomes the latest in a grim tally: Australia’s 73rd woman killed in 2025 and part of ongoing concerns over femicide rates.
The GoFundMe, launched by niece Georgina Bulewa under the name “Anaseini Nai Waqavuki,” exceeded initial goals to fund memorial arrangements, travel for the children, and family support amid the holiday-season tragedy. Relatives noted the added financial strain during an expensive time of year, with donations pouring in from community members moved by stories of Waqavuki’s dedication.
Her mother, Saini, spoke of the void left behind: immense sadness for the family, especially the children now facing life without their primary caregiver. The last communication—a message from middle child Salote around 10 p.m. on December 27—remains a painful final link before the horror unfolded. Rokoiwati expressed shock that her daughter’s pursuit of a better life ended so violently, underscoring missed opportunities for intervention in what police labeled a domestic incident.
Funeral arrangements were confirmed for burial in Australia, with the children’s travel dependent on visa processing. No exact date was publicly set initially, but services proceeded with family present. The emotional peak—the children’s pleas—has circulated widely on platforms like Facebook and Instagram within Fijian groups and femicide awareness pages, amplifying calls for stronger domestic violence protections and support for victims’ families.
Experts and advocates note that such raw grief in children often highlights the intergenerational trauma of intimate partner violence. Waqavuki’s case fits patterns where ex-partners pose ongoing risks post-separation, a period of elevated danger for victims. Community leaders in Sydney’s Fijian networks have shared messages of solidarity, urging awareness and resources to prevent future tragedies.
As legal proceedings advance, Vunitabua remains in custody. No trial date has been set, but the charges carry life imprisonment potential under New South Wales law. Police continue to investigate, with no additional suspects named.
For Waqavuki’s loved ones, the focus remains on remembrance: a woman who left Fiji for opportunity, built a life of love and laughter, and whose final legacy is carried by three grieving children. The casket-side cries—“Wake up, Mum”—serve as a haunting reminder of innocence lost and a mother’s absence that no words can fill.
The tragedy has united communities in mourning and resolve, with hopes that heightened attention leads to meaningful change in addressing domestic violence. Anaseini Waqavuki’s story, from hopeful migrant to victim of alleged rage, ends in a Sydney funeral home where tiny voices begged for the impossible—and a family begins the long road of healing without her.
