An Oklahoma pediatrician has been accused of killing her four-year-old daughter and staging the scene to make it appear as a drowning. Dr. Neha Gupta, 36, faces a murder charge in the death of her daughter, Aria Talathi, whose body was discovered floating in a pool behind a South Florida rental home on June 27.
First responders pulled the child from the water and attempted CPR before transporting her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Gupta had traveled with her daughter from Oklahoma and was staying at the Miami-area property at the time of the incident.
According to police reports, Gupta claimed she and Aria had been sleeping when she awoke around 3:20 a.m. and noticed her daughter was missing. She told officers she found a sliding door open and spotted Aria submerged in the pool.
Initially, Gupta insisted the drowning was accidental, stating she had tried but failed to rescue the girl because she could not swim, as reported by NBC. However, an autopsy conducted on June 29 revealed disturbing findings. Doctors found no water in the child’s lungs or stomach, ruling out drowning as the cause of death.
Instead, they discovered cuts and bruising inside Aria’s mouth, consistent with smothering. The medical examiner concluded the injuries indicated the child had been suffocated before being placed in the pool. Court records show Gupta and her ex-husband were embroiled in an ongoing custody dispute, Local 10 News reported.
While authorities have not disclosed a motive, the findings have led to a first-degree murder charge against the pediatrician. Gupta’s attorney, Richard L. Cooper, maintained his client’s innocence, stating he was awaiting further evidence. “An autopsy was performed over the weekend.
The toxicology reports aren’t back yet,” Cooper said in a statement. “We’re eager to know why the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office seemingly felt so sure to arrest and charge a grieving mother when all other signs point to a simple, tragic accident.” The case has drawn significant attention, with investigators emphasizing that the autopsy findings contradict Gupta’s initial account. She remains in custody as the legal proceedings unfold.
