Neha Gupta Accused Of Staging Accident
A pediatrician from Edmond, Oklahoma, is facing a first-degree murder charge after the death of her four-year-old daughter, originally reported as an accidental drowning, has been contradicted by autopsy findings and investigative evidence.
Dr. Neha Gupta, 36, was arrested Tuesday in Oklahoma City following the June 27 death of her daughter, Aria Talathi, at a vacation rental property in El Portal, Florida. Gupta had claimed the child drowned in a backyard pool. However, medical examiners determined Aria showed no signs of drowning. Instead, the autopsy revealed internal injuries consistent with smothering, including cuts and bruises inside the mouth, and no water in the lungs.
Authorities allege Gupta killed the child and staged the scene to resemble an accidental drowning. According to police, Gupta placed Aria’s body in the pool and later called emergency services around 3:30 a.m., stating she had discovered her daughter submerged. The girl was pronounced dead at 4:28 a.m.
Discrepancies in Gupta’s account were quickly flagged. Gupta told police she and her daughter ate dinner around 9 p.m. and went to bed together at 12:30 a.m. But the child’s stomach was found empty during the autopsy. Gupta also claimed she attempted to help her daughter for 10 minutes before calling 911, despite stating she did not know how to swim. Investigators say surveillance footage and physical evidence directly contradict her statements.
At the time of Aria’s death, Gupta had recently been suspended and issued a termination notice from her position at OU Health and the University of Oklahoma. She was also engaged in a custody dispute with her ex-husband, Dr. Saurabh Talathi, who told investigators he was unaware that Gupta had taken their daughter out of state.
Gupta was arrested without incident after police observed her retreating into the laundry room upon their arrival at her home. She was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals and Oklahoma City police and is currently held without bond at the Oklahoma County Detention Center. Extradition to Florida is pending.
Authorities have not provided a motive, and it remains unclear whether the child’s remains are still in Florida or have been returned to Oklahoma.
Gupta’s attorney, Richard Cooper, issued a statement claiming law enforcement “rushed to judgment” and emphasized the need for a full investigation. “A grieving mother who just lost her daughter is in jail,” Cooper said.
The investigation is ongoing.