According to a statement from the Orange County District Attorney's Office, Ramaraju allegedly slit her son's throat. If convicted on all charges, she faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life in prison.
Ramaraju, who had relocated out of California following her divorce from the boy's father in 2018, was in Santa Ana for a custody visit and was staying at a motel with her son. During the visit, she reportedly purchased three-day passes to Disneyland for them both.
On Tuesday, March 19, the day she was scheduled to check out of the motel and return her son to his father, Ramaraju called 911 at approximately 9:12 a.m. She allegedly reported that she had killed her son and had taken pills in an attempt to end her own life.
Santa Ana police officers responded to the motel and discovered the young boy deceased on a bed in a room containing Disneyland souvenirs. Authorities stated that it appeared the boy had been dead for several hours before the 911 call was made. He was scheduled to be returned to his father that same day.
A large kitchen knife, reportedly purchased the day prior, was found inside the motel room. Ramaraju was hospitalized after ingesting an unknown substance and was arrested on Thursday after her release on suspicion of her son's murder.
While the official statement did not identify the victim, NBC Los Angeles named him as Yatin Ramaraju. The report further detailed a contentious custody battle between Saritha Ramaraju and her former husband, Prakash Raju, since last year. Saritha Ramaraju had reportedly accused her ex-husband of making unilateral medical and school decisions and alleged substance abuse issues. Prakash Raju, who court documents indicate was born and raised in Bengaluru, India, had accused his former wife of fabricating abuse and substance abuse allegations. The couple divorced in January 2018, with Prakash Raju being granted primary custody of their son and Saritha Ramaraju receiving visitation rights.
According to court documents cited by NBC, Saritha Ramaraju was residing in Fairfax, Virginia, and had sought to have her son live with her. She alleged that her former husband had a "history of substance abuse issues" and exhibited aggressive behaviour under the influence. 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."
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer expressed his condolences and emphasised the tragic nature of the incident, 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." He added, "Instead of wrapping her arms around their son in love, she slit his throat and in the cruellest twist of fate removed him from the very world she brought him into."
(Inputs from PTI)
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