SANTA ANA, Calif. (Diya TV) — An 11-year-old boy was discovered dead inside a Santa Ana hotel room, and his mother has been charged with murdering him, police said.
Saritha Ramaraju, 48, dialed 911 on March 19, 2025, allegedly admitting to murdering her son, Yatin Ramaraju, at the La Quinta Inn & Suites in Santa Ana. Deputies found Yatin dead on the bed with several stab wounds, lying amidst Disneyland memorabilia. A large kitchen knife, which is said to have been bought the day before, was lying nearby.
Authorities reported that Ramaraju tried to commit suicide by taking about 20 pills of Advil or Tylenol. She was discovered in the hallway of the hotel and rushed to a hospital for treatment before she was taken into custody.
Yatin had just finished school in the Tustin Unified School District and had attended before that in the Irvine Unified School District. His father, Prakash Raju, had full custody but had allowed Yatin to spend spring break with his mother, returning by 6 p.m. on the evening of the incident.
Court records show a custody battle between Ramaraju and Raju dating back to 2023. Ramaraju had accused Raju of substance abuse, while Raju pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DUI charges in June 2023 and was on informal probation. Ramaraju sought custody in November 2024 and wanted Yatin to live with her in Virginia.
Ramaraju is accused of murder and possession of a deadly weapon, with a possible 26 years to life in prison if convicted. She remains jailed without bail, with a court date set for April 17.
