ANAHEIM — A California mom has been accused of stabbing her 11-year-old son to death in a hotel room following a Disneyland vacation.
Saritha Ramaraju, 48, is charged with murder over the death of Yatin Ramaraju, which took place the day he was supposed to be returned to his father’s care.
The youngster was found with his throat slashed and several stab wounds to his body inside a room at La Quinta Inn & Suites in Santa Ana on March 19.
Saritha Ramaraju, 48, is charged with murder over the death of Yatin Ramaraju at La Quinta Inn & Suites in Santa Ana
His mutilated body was discovered surrounded by souvenirs from his trip.
Ramaraju had bought three-day passes for Disneyland for herself and her son as part of a custody visit, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
But on the day they were due to check out, police ended up making the grim discovery.
She is accused of stabbing her 11-year-old son to death in their hotel room following a Disneyland vacation
Officers were called to the scene at 9.12am after Ramaraju dialed 911 and told the operator she had murdered her son and ingested an unknown substance, according to the DA.
Santa Ana police arrived at the motel and arrested Ramaraju on suspicion of murder.
It appeared her son had been dead for several hours before their arrival, prosecutors said.
Investigators said his mutilated body was discovered surrounded by souvenirs from his trip
A large kitchen knife was found inside the motel room which the authorities say was purchased the day before.
Ramaraju was taken to the hospital where she was discharged the next day.
She was booked into Santa Ana Jail on charges of murder, child endangerment, torture and aggravated mayhem.
The murder took place at the end of the three day custody visit, the Orange County District Attorney’s office said. Pictured: A memorial at the murder site
The DA later announced that Ramaraju is now facing one count of murder and one felony enhancement of personal use of a weapon for the knife.
She and her husband divorced in 2018 after she moved out of state.
“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,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.
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.”
By BETHAN SEXTON/Daily Mail
