Topline: A large kitchen knife was found inside the motel room which was purchased the day before.
Published: March 25, 2025 7:30 am ET
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Saritha Ramaraju (via Santa Ana Police)
SANTA ANA, CA – A mother has been charged with murder for slitting her 11-year-old son’s throat after a three-day vacation to Disneyland during a custody visit.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said the boy, who was scheduled to be returned to his father on Wednesday, was instead found by police that morning dead on the motel room’s bed among Disneyland souvenirs after his mother called 911 to report she had killed her son.
The boy’s mother, Saritha Ramaraju, 48, was released from the hospital on Thursday after ingesting an unknown substance and arrested on suspicion of stabbing the 11-year-old to death.
Authorities say Ramaraju, who moved out of state after divorcing the boy’s father in 2018, was staying with her son at the La Quinta Inn, in the 2700 block of Hotel Terrace, in Santa Ana for a custody visit. During the visit, she bought three-day passes to Disneyland for herself and her son.
On Wednesday, March 19, 2025, the day Ramaraju was scheduled to check out of the motel and return the boy to his father, Ramaraju called 911 at 9:12 a.m. to report that she had killed her 11-year-old son and had taken pills trying to kill herself.
Santa Ana police arrived at the motel and arrested Ramaraju on suspicion of murder. A large kitchen knife was found inside the motel room which was purchased the day before.
It appeared the boy had been dead for several hours before his mother called 911, officials say.
“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.”
Ramaraju has been charged with one felony count of murder and one felony enhancement of personal use of a weapon, a knife. She faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life if convicted on all charges.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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DA: Mother Slit 11-Year-Old Boy’s Throat After Disneyland Custody Visit
A large kitchen knife was found inside the motel room which was purchased the day before.
By Jacob Charles
Published: March 25, 2025 7:30 am ET
Saritha Ramaraju (via Santa Ana Police)
SANTA ANA, CA – A mother has been charged with murder for slitting her 11-year-old son’s throat after a three-day vacation to Disneyland during a custody visit.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said the boy, who was scheduled to be returned to his father on Wednesday, was instead found by police that morning dead on the motel room’s bed among Disneyland souvenirs after his mother called 911 to report she had killed her son.
The boy’s mother, Saritha Ramaraju, 48, was released from the hospital on Thursday after ingesting an unknown substance and arrested on suspicion of stabbing the 11-year-old to death.
Authorities say Ramaraju, who moved out of state after divorcing the boy’s father in 2018, was staying with her son at the La Quinta Inn, in the 2700 block of Hotel Terrace, in Santa Ana for a custody visit. During the visit, she bought three-day passes to Disneyland for herself and her son.
On Wednesday, March 19, 2025, the day Ramaraju was scheduled to check out of the motel and return the boy to his father, Ramaraju called 911 at 9:12 a.m. to report that she had killed her 11-year-old son and had taken pills trying to kill herself.
Santa Ana police arrived at the motel and arrested Ramaraju on suspicion of murder. A large kitchen knife was found inside the motel room which was purchased the day before.
It appeared the boy had been dead for several hours before his mother called 911, officials say.
“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.”
Ramaraju has been charged with one felony count of murder and one felony enhancement of personal use of a weapon, a knife. She faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life if convicted on all charges.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
DA: Mother Slit 11-Year-Old Boy’s Throat After Disneyland Custody Visit
A large kitchen knife was found inside the motel room which was purchased the day before.
By Jacob Charles
Published: March 25, 2025 7:30 am ET
Saritha Ramaraju (via Santa Ana Police)
SANTA ANA, CA – A mother has been charged with murder for slitting her 11-year-old son’s throat after a three-day vacation to Disneyland during a custody visit.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said the boy, who was scheduled to be returned to his father on Wednesday, was instead found by police that morning dead on the motel room’s bed among Disneyland souvenirs after his mother called 911 to report she had killed her son.
The boy’s mother, Saritha Ramaraju, 48, was released from the hospital on Thursday after ingesting an unknown substance and arrested on suspicion of stabbing the 11-year-old to death.
Authorities say Ramaraju, who moved out of state after divorcing the boy’s father in 2018, was staying with her son at the La Quinta Inn, in the 2700 block of Hotel Terrace, in Santa Ana for a custody visit. During the visit, she bought three-day passes to Disneyland for herself and her son.
On Wednesday, March 19, 2025, the day Ramaraju was scheduled to check out of the motel and return the boy to his father, Ramaraju called 911 at 9:12 a.m. to report that she had killed her 11-year-old son and had taken pills trying to kill herself.
Santa Ana police arrived at the motel and arrested Ramaraju on suspicion of murder. A large kitchen knife was found inside the motel room which was purchased the day before.
It appeared the boy had been dead for several hours before his mother called 911, officials say.
“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.”
Ramaraju has been charged with one felony count of murder and one felony enhancement of personal use of a weapon, a knife. She faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life if convicted on all charges.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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