A three-day trip to Disneyland ended in an unthinkable tragedy when a mother and her 11-year-old son checked into a Santa Ana motel room.
According to Fox News, Saritha Ramaraju, 48, called police to report she had stabbed her young son to death inside their motel room after visiting the theme park, leading to her immediate arrest on March 19, 2025.
The incident occurred on the morning the child was scheduled to return to his father's custody. Police discovered the boy's body on the bed, surrounded by Disneyland souvenirs, after responding to Ramaraju's 911 call, where she admitted to the killing and revealed she had attempted suicide by taking pills.
Custody visit turns into deadly encounter
Ramaraju had moved out of state following her 2018 divorce from the child's father. She traveled to California for a scheduled custody visitation, during which she purchased three-day passes to Disneyland for herself and her son.
Body camera footage captured the chilling moment when officers encountered Ramaraju outside the motel room. As they placed her in handcuffs, one officer can be heard noting the presence of blood on her hands.
Investigators later discovered that Ramaraju had purchased a large kitchen knife just one day before the murder. This detail suggests a level of premeditation in the horrific crime.
District attorney condemns parental violence
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer offered a stark perspective on the case. He emphasized how parental conflicts can lead to devastating consequences for children caught in the middle.
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. 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.
The district attorney's office has taken a firm stance on the case, highlighting the devastating impact of domestic disputes on children's safety and well-being.
Legal proceedings and charges filed
Ramaraju faces multiple serious charges including murder, torture, child endangerment, and aggravated mayhem. The severity of the charges reflects the brutality of the crime and its premeditated nature.
Following her arrest, Ramaraju was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. After medical evaluation, she was taken into custody and ordered to be held without bail.
The case has sent shockwaves through the local community, particularly given the stark contrast between the joy of a Disneyland visit and the horror that followed.
Justice sought in devastating family tragedy
Saritha Ramaraju remains in custody following the brutal murder of her 11-year-old son in a Santa Ana motel room. The killing occurred after a three-day visit to Disneyland, during what was supposed to be a routine custody visitation with her son. The Orange County District Attorney's Office is pursuing multiple charges against Ramaraju, including murder and torture, as she awaits trial while being held without bail.
