1-14-2026 6:29pm

Hillsborough Woman Arrested Following Deaths of Two Children

Donnella Tilery Editor

HILLSBOROUGH, N.J. – Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald, Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr., and Hillsborough Township Police Chief Michael McMahon announced the arrest of Priyatharsini Natarajan, 35, of Shell Court, in connection with the deaths of her two children.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Hillsborough Township Police were dispatched at approximately 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, after a 9‑1‑1 call from an adult male resident reporting that he had returned home to find his two children unconscious. Responding officers entered the residence and encountered the caller and Natarajan. The two children, both boys ages 5 and 7, were located in a bedroom. Despite immediate life‑saving efforts by police and medical personnel, the children were pronounced deceased at the scene. Their identities are being withheld pending confirmation by the Medical Examiner’s Office.

Natarajan was detained at the residence and transported to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office for further investigation. Detectives from the Hillsborough Township Police Department, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, the Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office are jointly investigating the incident. A postmortem examination will determine the cause and manner of death.

Authorities stated that the investigation has revealed Natarajan caused the deaths of the two children. She 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 active. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office at 908‑231‑7100, the Hillsborough Township Police Department at 908‑369‑4323, or submit an anonymous tip through the STOPit app (access code: SOMERSETNJ). Tips may also be provided to the Somerset County Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 1‑888‑577‑TIPS (8477).
Note: The charges are accusations only. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.