Indian-Origin Doctor Accused Of Killing 4-Year-Old Daughter In Florida, Staged Drowning In Pool

Last Updated:July 03, 2025, 22:16 IST

Initially treated as a tragic accident, the case took a dark turn when the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office found no water in the child's lungs or stomach

Dr Neha Gupta, 36, was taken into custody in Oklahoma on Tuesday.

An Indian-origin pediatrician has been arrested in the United States for allegedly killing her four-year-old daughter and attempting to stage the incident as an accidental drowning in Florida.

Dr Neha Gupta, 36, was taken into custody in Oklahoma on Tuesday. Authorities say she is facing a charge of first-degree murder for the death of her daughter, Aria Talathi, on 27 June. She remains in custody and is awaiting extradition to Miami-Dade County.

According to police, Gupta had been vacationing in a rented home in El Portal, a village near Miami, when she called 911 around 3.30 am claiming her daughter had drowned in the swimming pool. Emergency responders found Aria unresponsive and began CPR immediately before rushing her to Jackson Memorial Hospital. She was later pronounced dead.

Initially treated as a tragic accident, the case took a dark turn when the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office found no water in the child’s lungs or stomach.

However, an autopsy ruled out drowning as the cause of death. Authorities now allege Gupta deliberately killed her daughter and staged the drowning.

According to investigators, Gupta and her ex-husband were in the middle of a custody dispute. The father was reportedly unaware that Gupta had travelled with the child to Florida.

Gupta told detectives that she and Aria had gone to the beach and ridden jet skis before returning to the rental house. She said they had dinner at 9 pm and went to bed around 12.30 am. She claimed she awoke at 3.20 am to a strange noise and found Aria in the pool, trying to revive her before calling 911.

However, police documents accuse Gupta of deliberately killing her daughter and attempting to cover it up by staging the scene as an accident. She had previously worked as a doctor in Oklahoma but was dismissed from her role in May.

Gupta, who studied medicine in India, is currently being held in Oklahoma after her arrest by the US Marshals and local police. Her arrest has drawn strong statements from law enforcement officials.

“This individual is accused of committing a horrendous act and her swift arrest illustrates the professionalism, communication, and teamwork of all agencies involved," said US Marshal Gadyaces Serralta, praising the swift coordination between agencies to bring her into custody.

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United States of America (USA)

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News world Indian-Origin Doctor Accused Of Killing 4-Year-Old Daughter In Florida, Staged Drowning In Pool