A California mother who murdered her son after a trip to Disneyland rather than turn him over to his dad also tried to kill herself, according to prosecutors.
Saritha Ramaraju, 48, took her 11-year-old son on a trip to Disneyland and then slit his throat in a hotel room. After the boy was dead, she then tried to kill herself, according to the Orange County District attorney, by taking pills. Ramaraju also called 911.
First responders found the dead boy on the motel room bed, surrounded by Disneyland souvenirs. Ramaraju was taken to the hospital, where she was treated and released into the custody of law enforcement. She was booked into the Santa Ana jail.
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, prosecutors said.
Ramaraju and the boy were scheduled to check out of the motel on Wednesday, and she was supposed to return the child to his father. She faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life if convicted on all charges.
