Killing Of 2 Students Shatters NJ Elementary School Community

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — The Hillsborough Township School community is grieving the loss of two students, ages 5 and 7, who were allegedly killed by their mother on Tuesday night.

"Our community - of which I am a resident - is navigating an unfathomable loss today. Last night, we lost two of our young students from Sunnymead Elementary School. There are no words to adequately capture the weight of this tragedy, and our hearts are with the families and the entire Sunnymead community as they grieve," said Hillsborough School Superintendent Michael Volpe to the community.

On Wednesday, Volpe spent a significant portion of the morning at Sunnymead.

"While the sadness is profound, I was deeply moved by the character of our staff. Tragedy often reveals the true heart of an organization, and today, I saw a leadership team and faculty focused entirely on the well-being of our children," said Volpe.

Volpe commended Sunnymead Principal Dr. Tammy Jenkins for her steady and compassionate leadership.

"Our educators have gone above and beyond to provide a sense of safety and support during a time of upheaval. I couldn't be prouder of the character and dedication displayed by this team," said Volpe.

Moving forward, Volpe said the district's priority remains the emotional health of their students and staff.

Crisis response teams and additional counseling services are on-site and will remain available for as long as they are needed.

"We are urging families to be simple and direct when speaking with their children, to limit social media exposure to avoid distressing rumors, and to reach out to our school counselors for any immediate support," said Volpe.

Double Murder

On Tuesday, at around 6:45 p.m., a man who lives on Shell Court called 911, saying he had come home from work and found his two children unconscious, according to Hillsborough Township Chief of Police Michael McMahon. Read More: Hillsborough Dad Finds His 2 Kids Dead, Their Mom Is Charged With Double Murder

He told the dispatcher that "his wife did something to them," said McMahon.

Hillsborough Township Police Officers went into the home and found the 911 caller, along with his wife, Priyatharsini Natarajan.

Officers found the two dead children in a bedroom inside the home and attempted life-saving measures, which were unsuccessful.

The two boys were pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities have not released the identities of the two children pending positive identification by the Medical Examiner’s Office.

The investigators concluded Natarajan caused the deaths of her two children and she was arrested and taken to the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing.

Priyatharsini Natarajan, 35, of Shell Court, Hillsborough, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose

The investigation remains ongoing, and no further information will be available for release at this time.

Anyone with information relating to this homicide investigation is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office at 908- 231-7100 or the Hillsborough Township Police Department at 908-369-4323 or via the STOPit app.

Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Tips Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports, and tips will be kept confidential.

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