An Arizona mother has been accused of killing her 17-month-old son and then wrapping the child’s body in a blanket before storing it in a hotel freezer for several weeks, according to reports.
Ochra Manakaja, 31, was taken into custody on Sunday morning after she called 911 to report her son’s death at the La Quinta Inn & Suites in Flagstaff, as indicated by court documents obtained by AZ Family.
She allegedly confessed to the dispatcher, stating, “I killed him,” before hanging up abruptly, according to the report.
Authorities discovered the child’s body wrapped in a blanket, covered in plastic, taped, and placed inside a clear box in the freezer of her hotel room, where it had reportedly remained for two weeks, according to police reports.
Also found in the room were Manakaja’s two other children, aged 9 and 7, who were unharmed, officials said.
Manakaja allegedly informed police that she became frustrated on April 29, leading her to throw her crying child into his crib.
She reportedly observed that he was not “acting like himself,” as he began vomiting, stopped eating, and appeared weak and pale, according to court records.
The following day, the boy developed a fever, but Manakaja, who has an extensive criminal history, allegedly avoided seeking medical help or informing family out of fear of getting into trouble.
Upon checking on him again, Manakaja found him unresponsive, lying face up with his eyes closed. She attempted to revive him with a cold rag, but when he did not respond, she wrapped him and placed him in the freezer, as per court documents.
Manakaja, who has prior convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and DUI, allegedly acknowledged to police that she had “messed up” and that her son did not deserve to die.
The exact cause of the child’s death remains undetermined.
Manakaja faces charges of first-degree murder, child abuse, and concealment of a dead body.
She is being held at Coconino County Jail on a $1 million bond.
