An Indian-origin pediatrician from Oklahoma has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of her four-year-old daughter while on a holiday in Florida.
Dr Neha Gupta, 36, was taken into custody in Oklahoma City on June 30 after investigators in Florida alleged that she staged the child’s death to make it appear as an accidental drowning.
The incident took place on June 27 at a rented vacation home in El Portal, a neighbourhood in the Miami area. Police were called to the property at around 3:41 a.m. and found the child, Aria Talathi, submerged in the deep end of the backyard pool. She was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead less than an hour later.
Gupta, who had travelled with her daughter from Edmond, Oklahoma, to Miami, told police that the child had spent the previous day at the beach and on jet skis. She said they had gone to bed together, but she woke up in the early morning to find the child missing and the patio door open. According to her statement, she found Aria unresponsive in the pool and tried to help but was unable to swim. She said she attempted to assist her daughter for nearly ten minutes before calling emergency services.
However, an autopsy conducted on June 30 found that the child’s lungs and stomach were dry, ruling out drowning as the cause of death. The medical examiner noted internal injuries in the mouth and cheeks consistent with smothering and concluded that the child was already dead when placed in the water.
Investigators also pointed out that the child’s stomach was empty, which contradicted Gupta’s claim that the girl had eaten dinner hours before the incident.
Authorities said Gupta tried to cover up the actual cause of death by making it appear accidental. Based on the findings, Florida authorities issued an arrest warrant. With help from local officials, Gupta was arrested in Oklahoma City and is currently awaiting extradition to Miami-Dade County, where she will face murder charges.
Gupta and her ex-husband, Dr Saurabh Talathi, shared custody of the child. He told investigators that he was unaware the child had been taken out of the state. The two were reportedly involved in a custody dispute at the time of the incident.
