A 48-year-old Indian-origin woman, Saritha Ramaraju, has been charged with the murder of her 11-year-old son in California, following a custody visit that included a trip to Disneyland. Ramaraju is accused of slitting her son's throat and faces one felony count of murder, as well as a felony enhancement for using a knife as a weapon. The Orange County District Attorney's Office stated that Ramaraju could face a maximum sentence of 26 years to life in prison if convicted on all charges.
Ramaraju, who had moved out of California after her 2018 divorce, was in Santa Ana for a custody visit, staying at a motel with her son. During the visit, she purchased three-day passes to Disneyland. On March 19, the scheduled day for her to return the boy to his father, she called 911 at 9:12 a.m., admitting to killing her son and ingesting pills in an attempted suicide. Upon arrival at the motel, Santa Ana police discovered the boy deceased on the bed, surrounded by Disneyland souvenirs. Authorities believe he had been dead for several hours. A large kitchen knife, purchased the previous day, was found in the room.
Ramaraju was hospitalized after ingesting an unknown substance and was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer condemned the act, stating, “The life of a child should not hang in the balance between two parents whose anger for each other outweighs their love for their child. Instead of wrapping her arms around their son in love, she slit his throat and in the cruelest twist of fate removed him from the very world she brought him into.” The victim was identified as Yatin Ramaraju by NBC Los Angeles.
The report revealed a history of a bitter custody dispute between Saritha Ramaraju and her ex-husband, Prakash Raju, who is originally from Bengaluru, India. Saritha Ramaraju had accused Prakash Raju of making unilateral medical and school decisions and alleged substance abuse. Prakash Raju had been granted custody of their son, with Saritha Ramaraju receiving visitation rights. Court documents indicated that Saritha Ramaraju, residing in Fairfax, Virginia, had sought custody of her son, alleging that Prakash Raju had a “history of substance abuse issues” and exhibited “severe control issues.” She claimed their son was “very scared to talk to mother as he'll get into trouble with dad.” The investigation into the tragic incident is ongoing.