HILLSBOROUGH, N.J. — A Hillsborough Township woman has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder following the deaths of her two young children, authorities said.
Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr., and Hillsborough Township Chief of Police Michael McMahon announced the arrest of Priyatharsini Natarajan, 35, of Shell Court in Hillsborough.
According to prosecutors, Hillsborough Township police were dispatched at approximately 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, after a 9-1-1 call from an adult male resident of the home. The caller reported that after returning from work he found his two children unconscious and stated that his wife had done something to them.
Responding officers entered the residence and encountered the caller and Natarajan. Police located two deceased children, both boys ages 5 and 7, in a bedroom. Officers and medical personnel attempted life-saving measures, but the efforts were unsuccessful. The children were pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not released the identities of the children pending positive identification by the Medical Examiner’s Office.
Natarajan was detained by Hillsborough Township police and transported to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office. Investigators from the Hillsborough Township Police Department and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, along with the Crime Scene Investigation Unit and medical investigators from the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, are handling the case.
A postmortem examination is scheduled to determine the cause and manner of death. Prosecutors said the investigation has determined that Natarajan caused the deaths of her two children on Jan. 13.
Natarajan has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. She was transported to the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing. The investigation remains ongoing, and no additional information is being released at this time.
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the investigation to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office or the Hillsborough Township Police Department. Anonymous tips may also be submitted through the Somerset County tips line or the STOPit app.
Officials emphasized that the charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
