A shocking turn of events occurred this week in Santa Ana when Saritha Ramaraju, a 48-year-old mother, was charged with the murder of her own 11-year-old son. The incident took place in a hotel room where they were staying after a trip to Disneyland during a custody visit. According to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, the child was found slain amongst Disneyland souvenirs.

The mother, who called 911 to alert authorities after the act, had also ingested an unknown substance in an attempt to end her own life. Santa Ana police discovered the child already deceased for several hours. A large kitchen knife, purchased the day before, was found at the scene. Ramaraju has been charged with murder as well as one felony enhancement for personal use of a weapon. “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 District Attorney Todd Spitzer.

Body-worn camera footage from the arrest was released by the Santa Ana Police Department, revealing an officer noting the suspect had blood on her hands. FOX Los Angeles reported on the released footage, which showed the moments leading up to Ramaraju's detention.