⚖️ Hillsborough mother is charged with 2 counts of murder and a weapons offense.
🚨 Two young brothers, ages 5 and 7, were found dead inside their family home on Tuesday.
🏫 The victims’ father called 911 and said he came home to find his sons unconscious.
HILLSBOROUGH — A 35-year-old Somerset County mother has been accused of killing her two young sons in their family home.
Priyatharsini Natarajan has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
Father’s 911 call led police to tragic scene
On Tuesday at 6:45 p.m., Hillsborough Township Police responded to a 911 call made by the children’s father from the Brookhaven Loft apartment complex.
He told a dispatcher that he had gotten home from work and found his two children “unconscious” and that his wife “did something to them.”
Read More: NJ mother held in psychiatric facility after toddler’s shocking death
Hillsborough mom accused of sons killings
Priyatharsini Natarajan is charged with murder in the killings of her 2 sons (Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office)
Two young brothers found dead inside bedroom
Police arrived at the family’s residence on Shell Court and found the two brothers, ages 5 and 7, dead inside a bedroom, Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald said.
Officers and other first responders attempted life saving measures but were not successful.
Hillsborough mom accused of sons killings on Jan 13 2026
Hillsborough apartment complex where two children were killed on Jan. 13, 2026 (Google Maps)
Autopsies pending as investigation continues
Investigators said that Natarajan did cause the deaths of her two children, though specific details were not disclosed as of early Wednesday.
The Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office was conducting autopsies to positively identify the victims and confirm cause and manner of death.
Natarajan was being held at Somerset County Jail, pending a detention hearing.
Somerset County police (Canva, Townsquare Media Illustration)
A Somerset County arrest is made. (Canva, Townsquare Media Illustration)
Somerset County previously dealt with a similarly harrowing case, in which two young siblings were also found dead in Hillsborough, both bound in their carseats in 2021.
Yuhwei Chou, of the Skillman section of Montgomery, initially faced two murder charges for the deaths of her 7-year-old daughter and her son, who police reported was 10 months old.
Read More: Somerset County mom not guilty by reason of insanity in killings
attachment-nextdoor-nj1015
On Dec. 23, 2022, Chou was found not guilty by reason of insanity, according to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office in a response to New Jersey 101.5.
Chou was found to be a danger to herself and others and was ordered into inpatient hospitalization, where her treatment plan is monitored every six months by the court.
Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom
All 31 convicted killers pardoned by Gov. Murphy
Since December 2024, Gov. Phil Murphy has granted clemency to 283 individuals convicted of various crimes. Of those, 31 have been pardoned and released early from state prison after they were convicted of murder and aggravated manslaughter. After their release, each killer is subject to five years of parole supervision.
Gallery Credit: Rick Rickman
LOOK: What major laws were passed the year you were born?
Data for this list was acquired from trusted online sources and news outlets. Read on to discover what major law was passed the year you were born and learn its name, the vote count (where relevant), and its impact and significance.
Gallery Credit: Katelyn Leboff
