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Police photo of Raghunandan Yandamuri
Police in Pennsylvania have arrested a suspect in the kidnapping and killing of a 10-month old girl and the slaying of her grandmother who was taking care of her in a Philadelphia suburb. According to the affadavit for his arrest, Raghunandan Yandamuri, after telling police he committed the crime, asked police to say his wife turned him so she could claim a cash reward being offered for the child's return.
The body of the baby, Saanvi Venna, was discovered overnight, police said Friday. Her grandmother Satyavathi Venna, 61, was found slain on Monday in the family's apartment in King of Prussia, about 15 miles north of Philadelphia and it was then that the baby was discovered missing.
Yandamuri, 26, an acquaintance of the family who lives in the same apartment complex, faces charges of first and second degree murder, kidnapping and burglary in what police say appears to have been a kidnapping for ransom that went awry.
Near the body of the grandmother, who died from stab wounds to her neck and chest, investigators found a ransom note demanding $50,000 for the return of Saavni, investigators revealed on Friday.
"If you want your daughter alive and safe, follow our instructions carefully," said the message, which is attached as an exhibit to the criminal complaint provided by police. It called for the baby's mother to deliver the $50,000 by 8 p.m. the same day, and warned, "Any cunning act from anyone of you will lead to your daughter's death."
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Investigators issued an Amber Alert just before 5 p.m. Monday after the child's father and slain victim's son, Venkata Konda Siva Venna, found the woman's body and realized his daughter was missing.
Police say Venna left work to check on the pair after receiving a call from a worried relative who was unable to reach them.
The baby’s mother, Chenchu Latha Punuru, was at work when Venna was killed and the child was taken, police said.
Pennsylvania State Police via AP
Saanvi Venna, 10 months old, in an undated photo provided by police. Police issued an Amber Alert for her on Monday after her grandmother, who had been babysitting, was found slain and the baby missing.
In the ransom note, the writer used the nicknames "Shiva" and "Lata" for Saanvi's parents, which were known only to a handful of people, all of whom were in the community of Asian Indian Americans, according to an affidavit for Yandamuri's arrest.
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One of the people who knew those names was Yandamuri, who first told detectives he had no idea who had killed Satyavathi or taken Saanvi. He had attended a vigil held for the child and helped create and distribute missing child posters of the girl, it said.
Later in the interview on Thursday, Yandamuri said he was responsible for both deaths. He said he targeted the family because he believed they had money, and said his intention was to hide the child until the ransom was paid, the affidavit said.
According to the document, he told police he had stabbed the grandmother with a kitchen knife in a tussle for the child, stuffed a handkerchief into the child's mouth to stop her from crying, and then put her in a blue suitcase, which he later abandoned in a sauna at the apartment complex gym.
Following Yandamuri's description, investigators went to the sauna, the affidavit said.
"Hidden inside a dark wooden sauna under a deep bench, they found the lifeless body of Saanvi Venna. There was apparent blood on her white dress."
The grandmother had been visiting from India since July, authorities said, and was planning to return in January.
A reward for information leading to the safe return of the child had jumped from $30,000 to $50,000 on Thursday.
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Leave a Comment:
How sad, rest in peace little angel. My condolances to the family of this tragedy for the loss of 2 loved ones.
The picture of this sweet child makes me want to cry.
Let this be a lesson to those of you visiting from other countries. It's not safe here. Go home. Our justice system is very broken. It imprisons people using and selling harmless marijuana, while murderers and child abusers are set free to kill & abuse again. Leave now while you still can.
There are some sick f**ks out there. I am so sorry for the victims and their family.
I hope that everyone that read this article yesterday and blamed the mother of the baby stops and thinks about wrongly accusing anyone before knowing any facts. It was disgusting the things that were being said yesterday.
In the event the State of Pennsylvania requests volunteers to administer the death penalty to the criminal who did this when found guilty, please let me know.
I'm completely at a loss for words. May the family be comforted somehow in this their time of need.
How sad! Sounds like these people wouldn't have 50 thousand dollars. Where the hell did this idiot think they would get it? Stuff his ass in a box and bury him so he can see how the little girl suffered gasping for air.
This is truly horrific.
After he admits to the murders he asks the police to say his wife turned him in so she could collect the reward??? That's true evil...
It's shameful of this man to murder the grandmother and this adorable baby girl.This piece of work needs to be tried,convicted and given the death penalty.He didn't give have a heart for a Grandmother and this little girl so I have no concern for him being executed.
Jane - why don't you leave the country since you think there are better place to live? The fact that these people are from another country has nothing whatsoever to do with this crime. The murderer just happens to be an evil, heartless individual. That has nothing to do with nationality.
Evil does not mostly reside within just one nationality, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, political party or creed. It can be found within any community,social group, neighborhood or even family. No matter how well one is brought up, it will show its hideous nature. Striking at victims any age, gender,social group, community, nationality,religion, ethnicity,religion, race, etc. While good people may eliminate some of those who commit such actions after their actions, tragically we will never be able to prevent cases like this precious baby's death or her loving grandmother losing their lives to such a monstrous creature. Because there were no warning signs before hand. The least we can do now is hope this being suffers the fullest justice possible all the days of his existence.So he will never forget these two wonderful lives far outweigh his now forfeited life. And society will never allow him a moment to forget that. Rest in peace sweet baby angel and grandmother. Comfort to those mourning.
The leathal injection is too humane. Let's bring back the firing squad or public hanging and have it air on pay per view for the whole world to see.
I prefer decapitation.
Why do you give a damn? Are you the thought police? It's a free country to think whatever you want to. That's why we live here.
I want this one to be sent into general population with a shirt that has the words "I kidnapped and murdered a 10 month old little girl" with her photograph included stenciled on his back. The rest will take care of itself. Then take what's left of him and toss it in the prison dumpster with the rest of the garbage.
The U.S. taxpayer will pay upwards of $1,500,000 trying this piece of sh*t and maintaining him in a jail for the rest of his life. There has to be a quicker and better way to remove this person from the face of the earth.
your lack of feelings for this family is unbeliveable and callus.
Off topic:
King of Prussia? The strangest names our forefathers gave our towns and cities!
On Topic:
Death penalty without chance of appeal in order to save tax payers' dollars on this scum under the bag of scum!
To the mother and father of this baby, and the rest of the extended family of the baby and grandmother--you are all in my prayers and thoughts. This is so horrific, and I hope and pray that justice will be served.
Mozzie, you truly discredit the ohm symbol you chose for your icon. You should be ashamed of yourself, both for the hateful words you write and for tarnishing a beautiful and sacred symbol of meditation.
Hobbesjd and Wren: you misunderstood my comment to bscol. Bscol came across as sanctimonious and sitting in judgement, shaking her finger at those posters who she feels don't have the right to voice their opinion, wrong or right. That's what this forum is about, and that's all I was saying. My comment had NOTHING TO DO with the tragic circumstances involved with this little girl.
I accept your apology; I am certainly not ashamed, and the ohm remains untarnished. ;)
A very sad story. Unbelievable that he had the nerve to ask police to say his wife turned him in so she could get the reward money...he wasn't able to get it through ransom from the family so now he wants reward money for their murders. I hope the justice system puts him away for a very long time. He knew this family and had not conscious to stop him from killing them. My heart goes out to the family of the baby and her grandma. It is devastating to lose a parent but to lose your child and your parent to a murder is beyond devastating.
Terrible news. RIP baby Saanvi Venna and grandmother Satyavathi Venna may justice prevail.
There is precious little justice to be found in the U.S. legal system. The monster who did this will be given a slap on the wrist.
Justice would put him before a firing squad the moment his guilt is confirmed.
...and since the justice system is without flaw, we would know 100% sure this is the killer, so he would deserve whatever he gets..right?
Dave:
Sounds right to me...if they have real proof of his guilt, hang him from the nearest street lamp or bridge. One thing we have too many of in this country is murderers sitting for years in cells. You got a thing for keeping murderers around?
WychDoctor George,
"if they have real proof of his guilt, hang him from the nearest street lamp or bridge"
I share your feelings, but would you really want the foul odor of rotting corpses hanging from lamp posts permeating the air in your town? That might be feasible as long as you didn't leave them hanging there too long.
Because nobody on death row has ever been found to be innocent right WychDoctor? And Im not talking about technicalities here either.
MrBurns -
Time to trade in your phonograph for an iPod. ;) My point is that Forensic Sciences have advanced that much in the past 15 years alone.
Keep in mind that the same forensic sciences that have been used to find those people innocent are the same ones we use to find people guilty. In fact often times people on death row or life in jail that are released are done so because modern forensic sciences proves someone else committed the crime. So modern day forensic sciences are much different than they were when those people where convicted. A vast majority of those overturned cases involve people convicted before we could even lift fingerprints from skin.....now that is as common as taking fingerprints at the station. Most convictions now include DNA and fingerprint evidence
Not exactly IvanMiami, unfortunately we have the human factor involved in that. That recent case of the crime lab chemist Annie Dookhan, who admitted to falsifying thousands of tests, either due to laziness or pure meanness and she's not the only one nor is this the only lab who has been caught doing this. This case is different anyway since it probably didn't involve much DNA but a number of other pieces of evidence but just because we have these tests don't mean they are 100% accurate either thanks to people. Also they are still finding inmates innocent of crimes because it takes so long to get a judge to allow testing. Sometimes a lawyer asks several times and it takes several years to allow it at all.
Couldn't agree more Jkatze.
We need to start punishing with the same method used by the killer. It would take a few times of carrying it out - but i think we'd see a huge drop in our crime rate.
Whatever horrors these maniacs come up with would be their fate as well.
Dave,
Are you stupid or is your reading comprehension just a little off? That piece of trash admitted to the murders and then had the gall to request his wife get the reward money for turning him in. Perhaps you should reread the paragraphs before you post idiotic drivel.
Mr. Burns,
No one said that innocent people have not been executed or incarcerated by accident or purposefully. It has happened, no doubt about it. But again, as stated to Dave above, the trash disguising himself as a man admitted guilt to the murders of an old woman and a CHILD! Strap his ass to the nearest high voltage power line and ground him out. One less piece of @!$%# in the world.
Dave,
I also believe that due process is vitally important in a free society. And just because someone confesses to a crime, doesn't mean they actually did it. But in this particular case, included in the confession was WHERE THE BABY WAS AT--which the police went and looked and found her lifeless body stuffed in the suitcase that this monster had described. That's pretty darn conclusive! I am also a grandmother, and will go to any lengths to protect my grandchildren. The two things I have that Satyavathi did not apparently have: 1.) A really good self-defense course under my belt called "Real Impact" where I had to hit the Sensi (teacher) hard enough that had he not been padded all up, I would have seriously hurt him. And 2.) A 20 gauge set up to only have to chamber the round. I'm not saying that those 2 things are 100% effective insurance, but they certainly sway the odds in my and my grandchildren's favor. And yes, I am well practiced in the use of firearms and I pay strict attention to safety rules. And I am NOT trigger happy. Yes, I am well aware of the need for safety around children. But a trigger lock with the key around my neck and having the technical knowhow to put a person on the floor, would give me enough time to get the firearm and call 911. Then if the perp tried to get up and fight--well, no trial would be needed, if you get my drift!
send him back to INDIA !!
RIP Sweet Baby and Grandmother
My heart goes out to this family, you are in my thoughts and prayers. I am so sorry for your loss.
The prepetrator should be lynched in public! I will pay for the rope!
I'll go in with you BlackMan#1
before or after the public trial with no lawyer???
Dave, losers like you are the reason murderers usually are deprived of the punishment they so richly deserve. How many times has a repeat offender been released on the world to rape and kill again because of bleeding hearts such as yourself? The number is staggering. You've obviously NEVER lost a loved one to murder because you're too stupid to be here rooting for the murderers.
Saffie-862604
I'm no bleedig heart but I DO want to see the man get a fair trial. If and when he's convicted, THEN we can execute him. Guilty verdict and execution within 30 days... prefferably 24 hours.
Everyone in this country is entitled to a trial. If they are found guility, then they get 1 appeal. If they lose that, take them out behind the.. and show them how justice is done.
I am tired of slapping people on the wrist and watching the american tax payer pay for it.
What a POS. Execution by stabbing and strangling should be appropriate.
XDm9mm,
"I'm no bleedig heart but I DO want to see the man get a fair trial."
I agree. I think the principle behind our legal system is supposed to be: Better a thousand guilty men should go free than that one innocent man should be hanged. And yet, in spite of that, we still end up incarcerating and hanging men who, as it turns out later, were innocent of the crimes they were convicted of. Witness the many DNA cases that have freed innocent men. They have not yet, however, found a way of bringing an innocent man back from the dead, which is something for the case against capital punishment. I feel bad for this little baby, thoug, and her grandma.
I disagree with your statement. If they perpetrators of these crimes are found guilty, they have DNA, and other evidence (Strong Evidence) then we should absolutely execute them in a very short time frame. To take that a step further, the execution should be by hanging. Hanging is reserved for the most hideous of crimes which murder for profit, financial gain, or sexual in nature are.
Saffie, this is Pennsylvania. There's no such thing as a fast-path to execution here... unfortunately.
Saffie, why is he a loser because he believes a person deserves due process? If anything that would describe someone who, with other than this one article, written by a stranger, stating this guy did it, you are ready to drag him out of jail and hang him yourself. Unfortunately, there is no cure for lack of intellect.
Stay classy Philadelphia!!!
King of Prussia is not Philadelphia.
Philadelphia is in Philadelphia County...King of Prussia is located in Montgomery County.
And lately, it seems that the garbage from Philadelphia is making its way out to Montgomery County - with all the crime and BS that goes along with it.
Yeah, Daveny........New York has the market cornered with all well-balanced people, classy. No classier than Philly. You are an idiot. Every city has their share of crazies, New York is no different. Thoughts and prayers go out to this family at such a tragic time in their lives.
Anyone who would kill a child deserves the quickest, harshest punishment available....DEATH !!!
Death...
Because letting him suffer for the rest of his life isn't harsher?
IMO death is too easy. OK, he's dead....now what? Did he suffer? Our Constitution doesn't allow but for one of 3 ways to kill a man and they are all quick... do u think that's a harsher punishment than sitting in a cell for the rest of your life???
as easy as it is, no one who kills a child deserves to sit in prison and even breathe, eat, recieve medical care while that poor innocent child has to buried. its also a waste of tax payer money to support this monster in prison.
...and you will be 100% sure that this is the guy that killed the child, of course.
No he didn't suffer. But we aren't paying for his keep (complete with cable and college education) either. If he is proven guilty, kill him.
"do u think that's a harsher punishment than sitting in a cell for the rest of your life???" The punishment is on the taxpayers who have to pay for this good-for-nothing POS to survive the rest of his life in prison. Off with his head! Next.
seems to me as if dave is a killer and wants to make sure no one kills him. what an idiot. read the rest of his posts.
Sitting in jail is NOT punishment these days! You get 3 meals, a roof, a bed, computer breaks, outside sports, FREE COLLEGE EDUCATIONS....need I keep going? Where is THAT punishment? The murderers have it better than some clean nosed civilians who can barely afford food and shoes for their kids!
No, find the guilty party....prove his guilt....slice his neck like he sliced grandmas. Why the hell can't America get it right? Kill the SOBS so they will stop killing the rest of us! Make an "Eye for an Eye" the LAW, and stop pampering criminals.
Rest in peace little angel, and your grandma.
Dave is a troll. Don't feed him.
If prison is worse than death, why doesnt every prisoner committ suicide then? Think before you speak.
Dave, surely you have more productive things to do than troll a news site.
This guy won't last in prison. Even hardened criminals hate child killers. If you want him to suffer first and then die quickly so taxpayers don't have to support him, just release him into the prison's general population.
The death penalty does not exist as a punishment. At one time it was actually used to keep the evil people from having the chance to do it again....what a concept!
sick,sick,sick bastard.theres a real special place in hell for you.but we know the liberals will keep you alive for 50 years
Nope, started to say something but won't be baited.
I'll just say it's very sad and they deserve better than partisan rants from strangers.
jhertz its about the baby and grandmother. Not poliitcs.....
Thoughts and prayers are with this family. Rest in peace little angel with your grandma.
Heartbreaking. Not sure why I even read the news anymore...
I feel the same way Amber! It would be nice to read about wonderful things happening every once in a while. My prayers are with this family and I thank God that the sick monster who did this is in police custody.
I agree Amber. I don't know if I have just started reading more on the internet or what it is but it seems to me that there have SO many stabbings JUST TODAY! The nanny in NY, the college kid in Italy, the brother in law in California who killed his sister in law and her two children, now this. Is this an epidemic or am I just seeing more news that's not in the newspaper (that I read every day)?
Anyway, what a horrible, tragic thing to happen to an innocent baby and her Gma.
My condolances to the family. I agree BlackMan#1 I'll chip in.
Best thing to happen to a person (any gender) who tortures, rapes and/or kills a child is to put him/her into the general populace of a hard core prison. For some reason, even the most hardened criminal hates people who to the above things and will make their lives hell indeed until they are no longer among the living. Another way to handle it - if the individual confesses, don't bother with a trial (although in some states like here in Alabama) there is a mandated mini-trial after a confession (Amy Bishop Anderson for example), take him out, put him up against a wall, 3 sharpshooters, and bam!!! he is gone with little expense or emotional energy. I personally wouldn't mind taking all these child killers into a room, and all I need is 5 minutes alone with them and a Louisville slugger. This would go for anyone who kills like this (including the murder of that young woman who was killed the other day).
I agree 100%!!!
Death penalty is letting a criminal off easy!
BS. If YOU want to keep these worthless killers in prison then YOU pay for them. I'm tired of it. If there is incontrovertible proof of guilt of this type of horrific crime or any senseless taking of life, they should be done away with post-haste. For the masses it's not about vengeance as they say, it's about justice for all. For me it IS about vengeance and not wasting any more space and resources on twisted freaks.
Thats why all prisoners committ suicide right Davebny? Because death is better than prison.
Sad thing is that lawyers will come to his defense and say that he didn't intend for the baby to get killed. Then they'll be a bunch of bleeding hearts in the jury (5 years from now when the trial takes place) that will feel sorry for him and think that "he really didn't MEAN to kill the baby". Sickening.
There seems to be alot of killing of children lately that makes the news. This one and the other horrible one where they young girl was actually dismembered. The one today on the vine that closed out where a nanny stabbed to death toddlers in a bathtub?? WTF?
Did someone open a earth crevis and a swarm of demons invaded from hell?? This is really getting sick to read everyday.
I thought the exact same thing IXLR8. It's seems like that's all I hear EVERY SINGLE DAY! What a scary place this world has become.
I think that happens because women and children are easier to kill. When a coward puts himself up against a real man in a real battle he has too much to loose. Killing a child makes him feel like he is stronger.
If you read the news bagocoal, more men are being killed than women and children. I see where you are going, but you cant make a point if you're wrong.
I don't think the frequency increased. I just think it is being reported more. News like this is good for a media paycheck. There isn't any breaking news in the Middle East right now and people are sick of the campaigning so the media is probably just using these tragedies to get paid.
So sad...my thoughts and prayers go out to the family in their time of tremendous loss. I agree you read story after story every day of our precious children losing their lives at the hands of strangers, mothers, fathers, nannies, and other family members. As a mother it terrifies me to let my children go to school or hell at this point outside to play. Maybe if the world would stop taking God out of everything some of this evil would stop.
Don't forget the girl in Jersey, murdered for her bike... This is a sick society... We need to execute child murderers without 20 year delays...
Why is NBC not releasing the man's name or photo at this time? Obviously not a juvenile so it can't be because of age - wonder what their agenda is or is it just shoddy journalism?
How about at the time, the man's identity hasn't been released by authorities and it would be irresponsible for them to speculate...
Could it just maybe, possibly be beause of the murderer's ethnicity or age? Naah, MSN put out the picture of the white teenager who murdered the girl in Colorado....
WychNurse Curious George:
We truly do not need your idiotic analogies and sarcasm. A baby just died a horrible death within days of her grandmother. You freakin idiot. What if it was your daughter AND mother.
I'll pray for you and the Veena family.
Oh give it a freakin' rest already!!! I'm so sick of this phony victimhood nonsense! An innocent BABY is dead and immediately we have to start a race war and whine about the MSM. The suspect, who also lived in the complex, is named Raghunandan Yandamuri. He looks Indian to me. The local news QUICKLY identified the black teenagers who killed the little girl in Jersey for her bike. The MSM quickly identified the white teenager that killed and dismembered the little girl in Colorado. And they quickly identified the Dominican nanny that murdered the two kids in NY.
So the Indian, the black, the white and the Latina have all been identified for this recent round of horrific murders of innocent children. This country is equal opportunity bat ish crazy!!! Happy now?
@ DLux - AMEN!!!
What the HELL is going on, so much hate has to be in these murderers hearts to do this to a child. My prayers go out to the family.
OMG its open season on babies...what is going on in our society? DEATH PENALTY is necesary in these circumstances...why should this guy get to live his life out and have 3 meals a day, paid for by the tax payers for killing an innocent citizen, namely a baby? C'mon already. We need to start setting examples...this is disgusting...then yesterday also the Nanny in New York who killed the two little ones? Legislatures need to start stepping it up this is insane. God Bless baby Saanvi and her family.
You are absolutely right. Babies have no value in our society. We regularly murder them without punishment. Things will not change until we take ALL life seriously and back it up with laws that protect them.
What a terrible tragedy. I was so hoping the baby had been taken by some woman who wanted a child and was going to raise it herself and that she'd be found alive. Instead it's some sick b*stard who killed her and stuffed her in a suitcase. There is no shortage of nut jobs out there. My deepest condolences to the family on the loss of the child and the grandmother,two truly innocent victims who had everything in the world to live for.
Really, time for the people to demand laws to get rid of animals like this. Enough of the Supreme Court protecting the guilty and ignoring the victims - cleanse both the government and the supreme court - have some justice instead of lawyer's scams.
I feel like crying...
She looks like such a little doll in that photo. My heart breaks for the family. RIP little angel and grandma.
This just seems as if the world has gone mad. First one young girl killed and dismembered by a 17 year old, then a 12 year old girl killed by a 17 year old and a 15 year old over bike parts, now a 10 month old baby sufficated. I am not sure if things are worse or if we just get the news much faster now, either way it has been a sad month for mankind.
Sending POS like this to prison isn't the answer anymore. It's time to start ridding our society of these monsters once and for all.
As I have said before about these types of murders... Give him a fair trial. If he's found guilty, just release him into a back alley. But, 24 hours before his release, the judge needs to publicly announce the exact time and place that he will be set free. It's time that we as a society start to handle our own business.
Almost everyday lately! What the hell is going on? Could we please have a territory where these people can go kill each other and leave the children to live?
Another Star in the heavens, poor innocent child! Deepest condolences to the family!