An Oklahoma pediatrician is accused of staging her daughter's accidental death in Florida
Share this @internewscast.com

An Oklahoma pediatrician faces murder charges after allegedly staging her daughter’s accidental death at a vacation rental near Miami, as outlined in court records reviewed on Thursday.

Dr. Neha Gupta, 36, was apprehended on suspicion of first-degree murder in Oklahoma City. She is currently awaiting extradition to Florida following the death of her daughter on June 27, according to a news release from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

The 4-year-old girl, referred to as A.T. in an affidavit supporting the arrest warrant, was discovered unresponsive in a pool at the rental property. However, as there was no water in her lungs or stomach, authorities dismissed drowning as the cause of death.

The home and pool in El Portal, Fla., where the 4-year-old drowned.
The home and pool in El Portal, Fla., where the 4-year-old drowned.NBC South Florida

A lawyer for Gupta said Thursday that he was disappointed the sheriff’s office “decided to hastily arrest a grieving mother who fully cooperated with the police and who is absolutely devastated for the loss of her child.”

“We look forward to more evidence, evidence that the Miami Dade Sheriff’s office could not possibly have obtained in the 24-hour investigation that they completed,” the lawyer, Richard L. Cooper, said in an email.

According to the affidavit, Gupta traveled to Florida from Oklahoma, where she is a doctor, on June 25 and rented a home in El Portal, north of Miami.

Gupta told authorities that she arrived at the rental with her daughter between 7 and 8 p.m. June 26 after having spent the day at the beach. Gupta awoke the girl to feed her dinner at 9 p.m., and the 4-year-old remained awake until 12:30 a.m., the affidavit says.

Gupta told authorities she was awakened about 3:20 a.m. by a noise and saw that her daughter was not in the bed they were sharing, according to the affidavit.

A sliding glass door to the patio was open, Gupta told authorities, even though she said she had locked it before bed.

Gupta “stated she then observed the ‘deceased victim’ submerged underwater within the swimming pool of the residence,” the affidavit says. ‘The Subject’ stated she attempted to remove the victim from the pool; however, she was unsuccessful due to the fact that she is unable to swim.”

Gupta said she tried to help the girl for 10 minutes before she dialed 911, according to the affidavit.

First responders performed CPR, but A.T. was pronounced dead at a hospital at 4:28 a.m., the affidavit says.

During an autopsy Sunday, a pathologist with the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department found that the girl’s lungs and stomach were “dry” and that cuts in her mouth and bruising in her cheeks were “not consistent” with the first responders’ lifesaving efforts, according to the affidavit.

The pathologist concluded that the girl was dead before she was put in the pool, the affidavit says.

While the cause and manner of death are pending, the pathologist’s preliminary findings indicate that the girl’s injuries are consistent with asphyxiation by smothering, the affidavit says.

The autopsy also showed that the girl’s stomach was empty, contrary to what Gupta told authorities about having fed her at 9 p.m., the affidavit says.

Gupta “attempted to conceal the killing of the ‘deceased victim’ by staging an accidental drowning within the swimming pool of a rental property,” it says.

The affidavit does not identify a possible motive.

Gupta was in a custody battle with her ex-husband when his daughter died, and he was unaware that she had left Oklahoma, according to the document.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Philippines in Crisis: State of Emergency Declared as Typhoon Death Toll Soars to 241

In this photo provided by the Philippine Air Force, Philippine Air Force…

Wall Street Titans on Edge: What Mamdani’s NYC Mayoral Victory Means for Billionaires

Prominent Wall Street figures are adjusting to the reality of Zohran Mamdani’s…

Tragic Loss: Dallas Cowboys Defensive End Marshawn Kneeland Passes Away at Age 24

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — In a heartbreaking development, the NFL has announced…

Damascus Resident Arrested Following Major Drug Trafficking Probe

A Damascus resident is facing serious drug charges following a traffic stop…

Scott Niswonger and Greene County Boost Local Hunger Relief with $40K Donation to Second Harvest

In Greene County, Tennessee, the Second Harvest Food Bank recently received a…

California’s Viral ‘Marry Lisa’ Billboard Campaign Sparks Massive Response: Hundreds Apply to Win Her Heart

In an unconventional quest for love, a California woman has launched a…

Supreme Court Reinstates Controversial Trump-Era Transgender Passport Policy: Implications and Reactions

On Thursday, the Supreme Court upheld the Trump administration’s policy allowing the…

Airlines Announce Refunds and Free Flight Changes Amid Government Shutdown Chaos

(The Hill) — In response to the historic government shutdown, several airlines…

Alabama Man’s High-Speed Chase Ends in Arrest in Washington County, Virginia

A high-speed chase in Washington County, Virginia, culminated in the arrest of…

Rep. Jim Jordan Highlights Discrepancy Between Blue State Election Outcomes and National Vote Trends

Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, a Republican, has expressed his view that this…

Orlando’s 80s Heatwave: Enjoy the Warmth Before a Major Temperature Drop Hits!

ORLANDO, Fla. – Central Florida is bracing for a noticeable shift in…

Key Insights into the Melodee Buzzard Disappearance Case

The search is still underway for Melodee Buzzard, a 9-year-old girl from…