Indian-origin woman in US charged with murdering son after Disneyland trip

Saritha Ramaraju, 48, has been charged with one felony count of murder for slitting her 11-year-old son's throat

An Indian-origin woman has been charged in New York with allegedly murdering her 11-year-old son after a three-day vacation to Disneyland, according to news agency PTI. If convicted, she could receive a sentence of 26 years to life, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

 

According to the prosecutors, Saritha Ramaraju, 48, slit his throat at a Santa Ana motel after a three-day trip to Disneyland. She faces one felony count of murder and an additional charge for using a knife in the crime. 

 

Ramaraju, who had divorced her husband in 2018, no longer lived in California but was visiting her son as part of a custody arrangement. She booked a motel room in Santa Ana and purchased three-day Disneyland passes for them both.

 

 

On the morning of March 19, the day she was supposed to return the boy to his father, Ramaraju called 911. She reportedly told authorities she had killed her son and attempted to take her own life by ingesting pills.

 

When Santa Ana police arrived at the motel, they found the child deceased on the bed, surrounded by Disneyland souvenirs. Reports suggest he had been dead for several hours before the emergency call was made. A large kitchen knife, believed to be the weapon used, was discovered in the room. Investigators say it had been purchased the day before the incident.

 

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer condemned the act, stating, “A child’s life should never be caught between two parents’ conflicts. Instead of embracing her son with love, she chose to end his life in a horrific act.”

 

While officials did not release the child's name, NBC Los Angeles identified him as Yatin Ramaraju. Reports indicate that his parents had been in a legal battle over custody since the previous year.

 

Court documents show that Ramaraju, who had been living in Fairfax, Virginia, sought to have her son live with her. She had accused her ex-husband, Prakash Raju, of making major decisions about their son’s education and health without her consent. She also alleged that he struggled with substance abuse and had a controlling nature, which made their child fearful of speaking to her.

 

Prakash Raju, however, refuted these claims, stating they were false and unfounded. He had been granted custody of their son, while Ramaraju retained visitation rights.

 

Ramaraju was discharged from the hospital on March 21 and taken into police custody. She remains under investigation as legal proceedings move forward.  (With inputs from agencies)