Indian-origin woman accused of murdering son after Disneyland visit
What's the story
48-year-old Saritha Ramaraju, an Indian-origin woman, has been charged with murdering her 11-year-old son after a trip to Disneyland. She is facing one felony count of murder and an additional felony enhancement for personal use of a knife. If convicted on all charges, she could face a maximum sentence of 26 years to life.
Background
Ramaraju's history and Disneyland trip
Ramaraju had divorced the father of her son in 2018 and shifted out of California. For a custody visit, she stayed with her son at a Santa Ana motel. To make their time special, she bought three-day passes to Disneyland for both. But on March 19, the day they were supposed to check out and go home, she called 911 around 9:12am (local time) and reported she had killed her son and taken pills to end her own life.
Incident details
Discovery of the crime
Santa Ana police found the boy dead on a bed surrounded by Disneyland souvenirs when they reached the motel. He was apparently dead for several hours before his mother called 911. A large kitchen knife, which Ramaraju had bought a day before, was recovered from their motel room. She was admitted to hospital after taking an unknown substance and later arrested on suspicion of her son's murder.
Legal disputes
Custody battle and family history
Ramaraju had been involved in a custody battle with her former husband Prakash Raju since last year. She accused him of making medical and school decisions without consulting her and alleged he had substance abuse issues. After they divorced in 2018, he was awarded custody of their son, while she was given visitation rights. According to court records, she lived in Fairfax, Virginia, and wanted her son to stay with her.