A mother has been accused of murder in the death of her 11-year-old son after a three-day visit to Disneyland in California. The incident took place during a custody visit, highlighting a prolonged custody battle lasting over a year.

Saritha Ramaraju, 48, originally from India, is facing charges of one felony count of murder and an enhancement for using a weapon after allegedly slitting her son Yatin Ramaraju’s throat.

The Orange County District Attorney’s office stated that if she is found guilty on all counts, Ramaraju could face a prison term ranging from 26 years to life.

The tragic discovery occurred on March 19 at a La Quinta Inn in Santa Ana, California. Ramaraju had been staying there with her son during the custody visit. Around 9:12 a.m., she called 911, reporting she had killed her son and ingested pills in an apparent suicide attempt.

Upon arrival, Santa Ana police found the boy’s body on the bed, surrounded by souvenirs from their Disneyland trip. Investigators believe he had been dead for several hours before Ramaraju contacted authorities.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer emphasized that a child’s well-being should not be compromised by parental conflict. Spitzer also noted that anger can cause individuals to lose focus on their loved ones and responsibilities.

A large kitchen knife, identified by prosecutors as the murder weapon, was discovered in the motel room. The district attorney’s statement indicated that Ramaraju had acquired the knife a day before the incident.

Court documents reveal that Ramaraju and her former husband, Prakash Raju, divorced in 2018. Raju was awarded custody of their son, while Ramaraju was granted visitation rights. The murder happened on the day she was supposed to return her son to his father.

The couple had been engaged in a contentious custody dispute since the prior year. Ramaraju, who relocated to Fairfax, Virginia after the divorce, desired to have her son live with her. She accused her ex-husband of making medical and educational decisions without her input and alleged that he had substance abuse issues, making him “very aggressive under the influence of alcohol, drugs and smoke.”

Ramaraju claimed her son was “very scared to talk to mother as he will get into trouble with dad,” accusing her ex-husband of “severe control issues.”

Raju denied these accusations, describing them as “completely false and untrue abuse and substance abuse issues.”

Before the incident, Ramaraju had purchased three-day Disneyland passes for her and her son as part of their custody visit. The souvenirs found near the boy’s body were from this trip.

Following her 911 call and admission to the crime, Ramaraju was hospitalized for treatment after ingesting an unknown substance in what authorities suspect was a suicide attempt. She was released from the hospital on March 20 and promptly arrested in connection with her son’s death.

Ramaraju’s next court hearing is set for April 17, as per court records. She is currently being held without bail.

The case has caused significant distress in both the local Santa Ana community and the broader Indian-American community, as the particulars of the alleged murder continue to surface.