What was supposed to be a weekend of celebration, turned into a harrowing episode for a Queens’ family who found their mother battered to death. On the day before Mother’s day, a 65-year-old woman was viciously attacked by her 28-year-old son, who allegedly strangled and punched her before sexually assaulting her. He was arraigned after he confessed to the gruesome killing. Queens District Attorney announced that he has been charged with the murder of his mother.
“What should have been a celebration of Mother’s Day became a brutal, tragic nightmare for a Queens family,” said Katz of the distressing case. According to a criminal complaint, Sharma allegedly told officers that he woke up the morning before Mother’s Day “with an uncontrollable urge to hurt someone.” Around 8 am of that Saturday, May 8, he approached his unsuspecting mother from behind, wrapped his hands around her throat, and began choking her. The man then punched the 65-year-old woman in her face multiple times in a struggle that ensued for several minutes.
Even as his mother fell onto the floor, the man continued the horrific attacks. What happened next was beyond anyone’s imagination. Sharma sexually assaulted his mother, while continuing to choke her until she lost consciousness, alleged prosecutors. The criminal complaint alleged that Sharma informed the police that “he continued choking her until he was pretty sure she was dead.” Having fatally injured his mother between 8 am and 8:40 am, Sharma was now covered in blood. He went up to his room, collected his wallet and keys and made his way to the 105th Precinct on foot. Sharma arrived at the police precinct in bloody clothes around 8:30 am and confessed to the unthinkable violence that led to his mother’s death.
Meanwhile, Soraj’s daughter was left appalled to find her mother in an unconscious state in the basement of their home in the Bellerose Manor neighborhood. Soraj had bruises on her neck and face when first responders found her. Even though she was rushed to Long Island Jewish Hospital by paramedics, doctors could not save her.
Given the deadly nature of his crime, police charged Sharma with two counts of murder in the second degree and sexual abuse in the first degree. He is being held without bail and his next appearance is on May 24. If convicted, Sharma could face up to 25 years in prison.
The family’s neighbor, who only identified himself as Kevin, said that he was aware of Sharma’s mental health problems. However, he could never have imagined that the man would slay his own mother. “The family was really nice and friendly. I am shocked to know that the son could’ve done this,” he expressed.
Kevin also recalled an incident in the past when the neighbors alerted the police as Sharma was acting erratically. “So, it’s not the first time. He’s been in trouble before,” he said. “You can clearly tell that he has some mental health issues. When he had the cops called on him previously, people said that he was not on his medications. Perhaps, the same happened this time around.”