Hillsborough Shooting: Homicide Inquiry Following Death of Individual in Hillsborough, N.J.

 HILLSBOROUGH, N.J. — An investigation is underway into a homicide after a body was discovered on Tuesday at Brookhaven Lofts in Hillsborough, leading to a significant police presence at the location.

Law enforcement officials confirmed that earlier on Tuesday, officers were dispatched to the apartment complex, where they found a deceased person. The incident is now being treated as a murder case, although information regarding the victim and the specific details of the situation have yet to be disclosed.

Numerous police units continue to be present as detectives actively work on the case. The vicinity of Brookhaven Lofts has been cordoned off while officials collect evidence, interview possible witnesses, and attempt to clarify what led to the fatality.

Authorities have not clarified whether there is any ongoing risk to public safety, and as of now, there have been no reported arrests.

Local residents noted a significant police presence throughout the day as the investigation proceeds. Officials are anticipated to release more information as it becomes accessible.

This is a developing story.

A Double Murder

Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald, Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr., and Hillsborough Township Police Chief Michael McMahon have announced the arrest of Priyatharsini Natarajan, 35, from Shell Court in Hillsborough, New Jersey, in relation to the deaths of her two children.

Prosecutor McDonald stated that around 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, the Somerset County Communications Center alerted Hillsborough Township police following a 9-1-1 call from an adult male resident of Shell Court. The caller reported that upon returning home from work, he found his two children unresponsive and mentioned that his wife had done something to them.

Upon entering the home, Hillsborough Township police officers encountered the caller and his spouse, later identified as Priyatharsini Natarajan. Officers found two deceased children in a bedroom. Police and medical staff quickly attempted to revive them, but those attempts were futile. The children, both boys aged 5 and 7, were declared dead at the scene. Their identities have not been released pending confirmation by the Medical Examiner’s Office. Natarajan was taken into custody and moved to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.

The investigation is being carried out collaboratively by detectives from the Hillsborough Township Police Department, the Major Crimes Unit of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, the Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and medical investigators from the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office. A postmortem examination is planned to confirm the children's identities and to ascertain the cause and manner of their deaths. Investigators have concluded that Natarajan was responsible for the deaths of her two children on January 13.

Prosecutor McDonald indicated that Natarajan faces two charges of first-degree murder and one charge of third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. She has been taken to the Somerset County Jail, where she remains while awaiting a detention hearing. The investigation continues, and no further details are being shared at this time.

Authorities are urging individuals who have any details pertinent to this murder inquiry to reach out to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office by calling (908) 231-7100, the Hillsborough Township Police Department at (908) 369-4323, or by anonymously sharing tips via the STOPit application. Additionally, information can be conveyed through the Somerset County Tips Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous submissions will remain private.