ACTON, Mass. — An Acton teenager is facing murder charges in connection with the deaths of his mother and younger brother, who were both found dead Tuesday night in their family’s home, authorities said.
Officers conducted a well-being check at a home on Martha Lane just after 6:30 p.m. Tuesday after the father of the family in question called the Acton Police Department to report that an expected visiting tutor couldn’t get inside, Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan announced during a Wednesday afternoon news conference.
“The father began trying to reach people in the home in a variety of ways, and he was unsuccessful in doing that,” Ryan said.
When officers entered the home, they found 14-year-old Siddharth Aravind and 45-year-old Sudha Venkatesan dead inside from “obvious trauma,” according to Ryan.
A third member of the household, 17-year-old Arjun Aravind, had fled the home in his mother’s green Honda Accord, according to Ryan. Arjun and the vehicle were located Wednesday morning on Andrew Avenue in Weymouth, where he was taken into custody.
Arjun Aravind is charged with two counts of murder, two counts of assault and battery on a family member, two counts of assault and battery, use of a vehicle without authority, and theft, Ryan said.
According to Ryan, Arjun had recently been demonstrating concerning behavior, including using the internet and ChatGPT to make searches about “theoretical ideas or fantasy stories regarding the killing of his family.”
“He was engaged in the use of ChatGPT to create fantasy stories, Gothic novels, creating characters asking what about this, what about that, which appear to relate to threats to his family not surviving,” Ryan explained.
Sudha was last seen by her husband when he left for work around 7 a.m. Tuesday, and Siddharth was last seen at a recreational facility before returning home around noon on Tuesday, according to Ryan.
“The deaths occured in a fairly large window,” Ryan said.
Ryan described the incident as an “unspeakable tragedy,” calling it a “very dark day” for the community.
The state medical examiner’s office is working to determine the exact causes of death in this case.
Arjun Aravind is expected to be arraigned Wednesday in juvenile court on the vehicle charges before facing the murder and assault charges in Concord District Court on Thursday.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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