An Indian-origin mother and daughter duo became victims of a heart-rending stabbing attack inside a Burbank home, California, on Monday (US time), according to accounts of the alleged incident family friends shared with local US news outlets. As police initially held off releasing their name, a neighbour identified Arti Varma and her daughter Meera Varma as those struck by the unprecedented tragedy.
In a subsequent news release issued by the Burbank Police Department, officials confirmed the identities while offering an update into the ongoing homicide investigation.
Both victims were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Unfortunately, 59-year-old Arti Varma died after succumbing to her injuries despite life-saving efforts. Meanwhile, her daughter, Meera (25), is still in the hospital and is currently listed in stable condition, though initially critically injured.
Who are Indian-origin Meera and Arti Varma?
Meera Varma is a nationally renowned mental health activist in the United States. She has previously worked with high-profile personalities, including former US President Joe Biden, former First Lady Jill Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Oprah Winfrey and US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy, as part of her committed journey to address the youth mental health crisis,
Meera’s official LinkedIn profile confirms that she is a nationally recognised Mental Health Activist and TEDx speaker with over 10 years of experience working with federal, private, and nonprofit entities.
Her professional experience entails being attached to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in addition to other roles that seek to address mental health issues. According to her LinkedIn, Meera got her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Thereafter, the Los Angeles-based activist and public speaker continued pursuing her Master’s degrees in Public Health and Social Welfare at the UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health and Luskin School of Public Affairs, respectively.
On the other hand, Arti taught first-grade students at Bret Harte Elementary School in the Burbank school district. According to ABC7 Eyewitness News, she is the second teacher at the school to be killed in the last two years.
Speaking to Eyewitness News, one of her friends, Cristina Strattan, described Arti as “an amazing teacher” who loved her profession. “She was such a bright light. She was always so joyful, so proud of her kids,” she added. Other loved ones recounted fondly that the 59-year-old loved to celebrate her culture and joyously decorated her home for the Hindu Festival of Lights, Diwali.
Arti’s husband and Meera’s father is currently in India, their neighbour, Victor Goli, further shared with the US news outlet.
Indian-origin Varmas attacked in California: All we know about the suspect
Amid the ongoing investigation, detectives are trying to piece together a relationship, if any, between the suspect and the victims. A neighbour told Eyewitness News that she has provided surveillance footage showing the stabbing attack suspect escaping the crime scene.
On Tuesday, the Burbank Police Department identified 30-year-old Sergio Fraire as a person of interest in the case. Authorities announced that the man was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
According to police, members of the Burbank Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team served a search warrant at a residence in the 500 block of East Palm Avenue in Burbank at about 10 pm on Monday. Fraire was believed to be staying at that address, where evidence related to the crime was recovered. He was ultimately taken into custody without incident.
This is an ongoing investigation.