Indian-origin mother slits 11-year-old son's throat after Disneyland trip as custody battle turns bloody

A woman of Indian origin, 48-year-old Saritha Ramaraju, is facing murder charges in the US after allegedly killing her 11-year-old son. She is accused of slitting his throat after a three-day vacation to Disneyland.

The boy, identified as Yatin Ramaraju by a NBC Los Angeles report, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ramaraju, who lived in Fairfax, Virginia, has been charged with one count of murder and an additional charge for using a knife in the crime. If convicted, she could face 26 years to life in prison, said the Orange County, California District Attorney's office.


Ramaraju, who moved away from California after her 2018 divorce, was visiting her son and staying at a motel in Santa Ana. They had spent time at Disneyland during her custody visit.

Murder and suicide attempt

On March 19, the day she was to return her son to his father, Ramaraju called 911 at 9:12 am and reported that she had killed her son. In the emergency call, she also reported that she had taken pills in an attempt to take her own life.

Police found the boy dead in the motel room, surrounded by Disneyland souvenirs. Authorities believe he had been dead for several hours before the 911 call. A large kitchen knife, purchased the day before, was also found in the room.

Ramaraju was hospitalised after ingesting an unknown substance and was later arrested.

"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," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer 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,” he added.

Divorce and custody battle

Reports indicate Saritha Ramaraju and her ex-husband, Prakash Raju, had been involved in a custody battle.

Ramaraju had accused her ex-husband of making decisions about their son without her input and alleged he had substance abuse problems.

She claimed her ex-husband had a "history of substance abuse issues" and "gets very aggressive under the influence of alcohol, drugs and smoke." She also claimed he had "severe control issues" and that their son was "very scared to talk to mother as he'll get into trouble with dad."

Prakash Raju denied these accusations, calling them "completely false and untrue.”

Prakash Raju, originally from Bengaluru, India, was granted custody of their son after their 2018 divorce, while Saritha Ramaraju had visitation rights.

(With PTI inputs)