Who Is Meera Varma? Indian-Origin Activist Injured In California Attack That Killed Her Mother

Renowned Indian-origin mental health activist Meera Varma is recovering in a California hospital after she and her mother were stabbed inside their Burbank home on Monday (April 21), ABC 7 Eyewitness News reported. Her mother, 59-year-old Arti Varma, a schoolteacher, died from her injuries.

Burbank Police were called to a home on the 2800 block of North Brighton Street around 6:00 am (local time) after Meera dialled emergency services. They found both women with multiple stab wounds.

Arti Varma was pronounced dead despite life-saving efforts. Meanwhile, Meera was rushed to a local hospital and is now in stable condition. As per the report, Arti's husband is currently in India.

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Police said there were no signs of forced entry, and nothing appeared to be taken from the house. A neighbour's surveillance video reportedly captured the suspect fleeing the scene.

"It was kind of a shock to hear just a few minutes ago that their house was broken into," a neighbour identified as Victor Goli told the media outlet.

On Monday night, SWAT officers arrested 30-year-old Sergio Fraire. In Ring doorbell footage, he was seen being taken away in handcuffs. He has been booked on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

Arti, a first-grade teacher at Bret Harte Elementary School, is the second teacher at the school to be killed in the last two years.

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"She was an amazing teacher, and she loved being a teacher," the victim's friend Cristina Strattan said as quoted by the outlet. "She was such a bright light. She was always so joyful, so proud of her kids."

The relationship between Fraire and the Varma family remains unclear. Burbank Police Lieutenant Brent Fekety told reporters, "We're still trying to figure out why he was at their house, and what he was doing there."

The Burbank Police Department said additional details would be released as the investigation progresses.

Who is Meera Varma?

Meera Varma is a nationally recognised mental health activist and TEDx speaker with more than 10 years of experience working with federal, private and nonprofit organisations. Her advocacy focuses on youth mental health and suicide prevention.

Over her career, Varma has worked on initiatives with former President Joe Biden, former First Lady Jill Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, talk show host Oprah Winfrey, and former US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy.

Varma, 25, lives in Burbank with her family. Her father was reportedly in India at the time of the attack. Her mother, Arti Varma, 59, was a teacher in the Burbank Unified School District.