Mother Charged with Murder After 17-Month-Old Son’s Body Found in Hotel Room Freezer

Flagstaff, Arizona

A 31-year-old mother has been charged with first-degree murder after police say she kept her 17-month-old son’s body in a hotel room freezer for about two weeks before calling 911 and admitting, “I killed him.” 

Ochra Manakaja was arrested following the discovery on Sunday, May 17, at the La Quinta Inn & Suites in Flagstaff. Officers found the toddler’s body wrapped in a blanket, placed inside plastic, and stored in a clear tote inside the freezer, authorities said. 

Two other boys, ages 7 and 9, were also in the room and were unharmed. 

According to court documents, Manakaja told police she threw the toddler into his crib out of frustration on April 29 because he was crying. His condition worsened and he developed a fever, but she did not seek medical help out of fear of consequences. She later found him unresponsive and not breathing. She reportedly wrapped the body and placed it in the freezer after returning from a probation-related drug test.

Manakaja expressed remorse to investigators, saying she “f—ed up” and that her son did not deserve to die. She faces charges including first-degree murder, child abuse, and concealment of a dead body. She appeared in court Monday and was booked into the Coconino County Jail on a $1 million bond. 

Manakaja has a prior criminal record that includes aggravated assault and drug possession. Arizona’s Department of Child Safety had previously investigated the family and temporarily removed one of the children in late 2024 before tribal authorities assumed jurisdiction. 

The medical examiner will determine the official cause of the toddler’s death. Police are not seeking additional suspects.