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DA: Friend planned $50K kidnapping, but baby died

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DA: Friend planned $50K kidnapping, but baby diedRaghunandan Yandamuri is escorted to a Montgomery County district court for an arraignment Friday, Oct. 26, 2012, in Bridgeport, Pa. Investigators said Yandamuri killed 10-month-old Saanvi Venna and her grandmother Satyavathi Venna in a botched ransom kidnapping. He is being held without bail on murder, kidnapping and other charges. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)(Credit: AP)

BRIDGEPORT, Pa. (AP) — Police in a Philadelphia suburb say a family friend hoped to kidnap a baby to get $50,000 from her software-engineer parents but instead killed the girl and her grandmother in a botched crime.

Police say 26-year-old Raghunandan Yandamuri (rag-oo-NAHN’-dahn yahn-duh-MOR’-ee) led them to the infant’s body Friday in the fitness center of the King of Prussia apartment complex where he and the victims lived.

An autopsy shows her grandmother was fatally stabbed and suffered defensive wounds Monday as she struggled over the child.

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Ferman says the ransom note called the parents by their family nicknames — leading police to focus on friends and acquaintances.

Ferman says 10-month-old Saanvi Venna (SAHN’-vee VEHN’-ah) may have been dead before she was taken from the apartment.

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