How Indian-origin woman ‘murdered’ her 11-year-old son during a visit to Disneyland

A three-day trip to Disneyland turned into a horrifying incident as an Indian-origin woman allegedly killed her 11-year-old son. According to the police, the boy was stabbed multiple times on March 19 in California’s Santa Ana.

The murder of the child, it appears, was the result of the parents being involved in a custody battle since last year when Saritha Ramaraju accused her former husband of alleged substance abuse. Ramaraju was in town for a custody visit when she bought three-day passes to Disneyland for herself and her son.

As police investigate a gruesome murder, here is what we know so far.

• Indian-origin Saritha Ramaraju allegedly killed her 11-year-old son during a trip to Disneyland on March 19. The two were on a three-day vacation.

• The 48-year-old woman has been charged with felony murder in connection with the alleged fatal slitting of her son’s throat along with one felony enhancement of personal use of a weapon, a knife.

• According to the Orange County’s Office of the District Attorney, if convicted on all charges she can face a prison term ranging from 26 years to life.

• According to a report by NBC Los Angeles, the boy has been identified as Yatin Ramaraju, although the statement did not state his name.

• Ramaraju, who had relocated after her 2018 divorce, stayed with her son at the La Quinta Inn and Suites in Santa Ana for a custody visit. She had bought three-day Disneyland passes.

• At 9:12 am on March 19, the day Ramaraju was scheduled to check out of her motel and return her son to his father, she contacted 911 to report that she had murdered her son and attempted to take her own life by consuming pills.

• When the police reached the motel, they found the young boy dead in the bedroom surrounded by Disneyland souvenirs. It appeared that he had been dead for several hours before Ramaraju called the emergency services, as per the statement.

• The police detained Ramaraju in the hotel hallway. She was then transported to a local hospital for evaluation.

• From the hotel room, they recovered a large kitchen knife that had been acquired the preceding day. Ramaraju was subsequently apprehended on suspicion of homicide by stabbing after she was released from hospital care on Thursday (March 20).

• Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said, “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.” He further said, “Anger makes you forget who you love and what you are responsible for doing. The safest place for a child should be in their parents’ arms. 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.”

• According to the report, Saritha Ramaraju’s custody battle with her husband, Prakash Raju, stemmed from her accusations of unilateral medical and school decisions and alleged substance abuse issues on his part.

• As reported by NBC, Prakash Raju, who stated in court documents that he was born and raised in Bengaluru, India, and Saritha Ramaraju were divorced in January 2018. Court records indicate that custody of their son was awarded to Raju with Ramaraju granted visitation privileges.

• Ramaraju accused her ex-husband of substance abuse, aggression, and controlling behaviour, alleging their son feared him. Raju countered these accusations, labelling them as fabricated.

With inputs from PTI