Mom Allegedly Stabbed Son, 11, After Disneyland Trip; Police Found His Body Surrounded by Souvenirs

A mother was charged with murdering her 11-year-old son after their family trip to Disneyland, according to a Santa Ana Police Department news release and Orange County District Attorney’s news release.

Saritha Ramaraju, 48, was charged with one count of murder and one count of personally using a deadly weapon, according to court records obtained by PEOPLE. She faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life if convicted on all charges, per the O.C. District Attorney. 

On Wednesday, March 19, around 9:10 a.m., Saritha called Santa Ana Police Communications and reported that she had stabbed and killed her 11-year-old son, Yatin Ramaraju, in a room at the La Quinta Inn & Suites in Santa Ana, Calif. 

Upon authorities’ arrival, the young boy was found with his throat slit on the hotel room bed among Disneyland souvenirs, per the O.C. District Attorney. Police also found a large kitchen knife from the scene, which Saritha had purchased the day before.

“It appeared the boy had been dead for several hours before his mother called 911,” per the  O.C. District Attorney.

Saritha was transported to a hospital after she told authorities on the 911 call that she ingested an unknown substance. The O.C. District Attorney reports that she apparently taken pills in an attempt to kill herself. She was discharged and is now in custody at Santa Ana jail.

She allegedly killed Yatin after they traveled to Disneyland together for three days. The trip occurred during a custody visit. Saritha and the boy’s father divorced in 2018, and after, Saritha moved out of state. She was supposed to return Yatin to his father on Wednesday, per the O.C. District Attorney.

Saritha has no cash or bond bail found. She remains in custody at Santa Ana jail, and her next court appearance is on Thursday, April 17.

“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 in the news release. 

“Anger can make 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 her son in love, she slit his throat and in the cruelest twist of fate removed him from the very world she brought him into,” Spitzer concluded.

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Detectives are working on locating any witnesses. Anyone with information was urged to contact SAPD Homicide Section Detectives at (714) 245-8390 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS.