Mugshot of Neha Gupta, accused of murdering her daughter.
Share this @internewscast.com

A PEDIATRICIAN has been accused of murdering her daughter and trying to cover it up during a custody battle with her ex-husband.

Dr. Neha Gupta, 36, allegedly threw her four-year-old’s body into a pool to make it look like an accidental drowning, police said.

Mugshot of Neha Gupta, accused of murdering her daughter.
Dr. Neha Gupta in her mugshot in Oklahoma City after she was arrested on suspicion of murdering her daughterCredit: Oklahoma County Detention Center
Aerial view of a backyard pool.
The pool in the suburbs of Miami, Florida, where Aria Talathi was found unresponsive on June 27Credit: CBS NEWS

Police discovered Aria Talathi, the daughter of Dr. Gupta, floating in the backyard pool of a vacation rental property in a Miami suburb during the early hours of June 27. She was pronounced dead approximately an hour after being found.

Dr. Gupta, a pediatrician based in Oklahoma, reported that she saw her daughter in the deep section of the pool and attempted to rescue her for 10 minutes before notifying the authorities.

However, the girl’s autopsy revealed she was likely smothered to death before she was submerged in water, the medical examiner said.

On Monday, Gupta was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder in her daughter’s death.

Dr. Gupta shared custody of Aria with her ex-husband, Dr. Saurabh Talathi, who reportedly informed police he was unaware his daughter had left Oklahoma, as stated in an arrest warrant.

TRIP TO FLORIDA

Gupta traveled to El Portal, just north of Miami, from the Oklahoma City area on June 25 and rented an Airbnb, investigators said.

At around 3:30 am on June 27, she called 911 about a drowning in the pool in the backyard at the rental home.

First responders raced to the scene to find the four-year-old unresponsive inside the pool. They pulled her out and gave her CPR.

She was then rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Gupta told detectives she and her daughter spent the day on the beach riding jet skis and came back to the home between 7 and 8 pm.

She said she woke her daughter up to eat dinner at around 9 pm and the two went to sleep in the same bed in the master bedroom at around 12:30 am.

A loud noise woke Gupta up at around 3:20 am, she told police, and she realized Aria wasn’t in the bedroom.

Timeline of Neha Gupta’s case

Dr. Neha Gupta is accused of killing her four-year-old daughter and staging it as an accidental drowning. Below is a timeline of events:

June 25 – Gupta travels to El Portal, Florida, with her four-year-old daughter, Aria Talathi.

June 26 – Gupta later says that she and Aria went to the beach and rode jet skis all day and returned to their Airbnb between 7 and 8 pm before eating dinner at 9 pm.

June 27

  • 12:30 am – The time Gupta said she and Aria went to bed.
  • 3:20 am – When Gupta says she woke up and noticed Aria wasn’t in bed with her before finding her in the pool.
  • Around 3:30 am – Gupta calls police and reports a drowning.
  • Just before 3:45 am – Police get to the scene and find Aria unresponsive in the pool. They pull her out and perform CPR.
  • 4:28 am – Aria is pronounced dead at a local hospital. Gupta provides a statement to police.

June 29 – An autopsy performed on Aria’s body reveals she died by suffocation and not drowning.

July 1 – Gupta is arrested and booked into jail.

She said she realized the sliding glass doors in the home were open, despite her locking them before she went to sleep.

Gupta claimed she found her daughter underwater in the pool, and tried to get her out but couldn’t because she can’t swim.

DROWNING RULED OUT

On June 29, an autopsy by the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department didn’t find any water in the girl’s lungs or stomach, according to the arrest warrant.

Aria was found with cuts in her mouth and bruising in her cheeks, which were determined to have taken place before the child was put in the swimming pool, the medical examiner said.

The wounds suggested that Aria didn’t drown, and that she was instead smothered to death.

The autopsy also found that the girl’s stomach was empty, which contradicted the meal her mom said she ate at 9 pm.

Detectives went to Gupta’s home in Oklahoma, where she had returned, and arrested her for killing her daughter and staging it as an accidental drowning.

Police cars at night during a police investigation.
Police outside the house where Gupta’s daughter was found floating in a poolCredit: CBS NEWS
Aerial view of a residential swimming pool.
Gupta claimed she tried to get her daughter out of the pool for 10 minutes but was unsuccessful because she can’t swimCredit: CBS NEWS

Gupta maintains her innocence and her lawyer, Richard L. Cooper, slammed police who he said “decided to hastily arrest a grieving mother who fully cooperated with the police and who is absolutely devastated for the loss of her child, according to NBC News.

“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,” Cooper told NBC on Thursday.

The University of Oklahoma and OU Health released a joint statement on Wednesday following Gupta’s arrest.

“Dr. Neha Gupta was suspended from patient care, given notice of termination, and was no longer seeing patients at the health system as of May 30, 2025,” the joint statement said.

“She has also been given notice of termination by the University.”

It’s unclear why Gupta was fired in May.

BITTER CUSTODY BATTLE

Talathi told police he and Gupta were in an “ongoing custody battle” at the time of Aria’s death, the police affidavit said.

The divorce was filed in 2022 and finalized in 2024, court records said, according to the Miami Herald.

The two fought over attorney fees and in May, Gupta was ordered to pay Talathi more than $79,000.

Gupta got a temporary protective order against her ex-husband, which was later dismissed because she couldn’t prove his alleged domestic violence

Earlier this year, Talathi requested that Gupta undergo psychiatric evaluations during the custody battle, according to court records obtained by ABC affiliate WPLG. It’s unclear if she complied.

Gupta’s divorce attorney, Chris Smith, told the Miami Herald that he believes Gupta is innocent.

“Neha Gupta is a caring and attentive mother, fully dedicated to her child,” Smith told the outlet.

“The idea that she could have harmed her child is completely inconsistent with her character and the life she has led. This is a grieving mother facing unimaginable loss, not a criminal.”

Gupta remains in jail in Oklahoma City and faces extradition back to Miami-Dade County, where she’ll be charged with murder.

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or chat at thehotline.org.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Drug vessel destroyed in explosive strike by US military

US Executes Eighth Drug Vessel Strike in Eastern Pacific: Latest Military Action Revealed by Hegseth

The United States military executed a strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel…
DC sniper's ex-wife reveals his chilling threat before killing spree

Ex-Wife of DC Sniper Discloses Ominous Warning Prior to Deadly Rampage

Dr. Mildred Muhammad found herself on a chilling hit list, targeted for…
Heidi Klum drops 'cheeky' new Halloween costume hint

Heidi Klum Teases Fans with Playful Halloween Costume Preview: What to Expect This Year

Heidi Klum might be giving her fans a glimpse of her renowned…
30 California District Attorneys Are a Hard NO on Prop. 50, Gavin Newsom's Gerrymandering Scheme

AAG Dhillon Calms Tensions with Governor Newsom Over DOJ Election Monitoring Plans

The Department of Justice has announced plans to deploy election monitors to…
Multiple people shot at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania in Chester County: DA

Shooting Incident Reported at Lincoln University in Chester County: District Attorney Provides Update

Authorities have reported that multiple individuals were injured in a shooting incident…
One hospitalized after suspected shooting at Austin public library prompting massive police response

Suspected Shooting at Austin Library Triggers Major Police Response, One Person Hospitalized

A serious incident unfolded at the Austin Central Library in Texas on…
12-year-old Minneapolis church shooting survivor shot in head released from hospital

Brave 12-Year-Old Minneapolis Church Shooting Survivor Triumphantly Returns Home After Head Injury Recovery

A 12-year-old girl, who was gravely injured during the shooting at Annunciation…
June Lockhart, beloved TV mom from ‘Lassie’ and ‘Lost In Space,’ dies at 100

TV Icon June Lockhart, Star of ‘Lassie’ and ‘Lost In Space,’ Passes Away at 100

LOS ANGELES (AP) — June Lockhart, a beloved figure for many television…
Jackson Chance Foundation to raise money for NICU families at 11th annual Ping Pong Ball at SPIN Chicago in River North

Join the 11th Annual Ping Pong Ball at SPIN Chicago to Support NICU Families with Jackson Chance Foundation

CHICAGO — The Jackson Chance Foundation is gearing up for its 11th…
Serbian foreign minister proposes hosting Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations amid ongoing conflict

Serbia Offers Neutral Ground for Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks: A Diplomatic Step Towards Resolution

EXCLUSIVE: Marko Djuric, the Foreign Minister of Serbia, revealed to Fox News…
Nearly 80K sauna blankets recalled after dozens of burn injuries reported

Urgent Recall Alert: Over 80,000 Sauna Blankets Recalled Due to Burn Injury Risks

In an important safety notice, Lifepro Fitness has announced the recall of…
Dems Cry ‘Voter Intimidation’ as DOJ Deploys Election Monitors to CA, NJ

DOJ Sends Election Monitors to California and New Jersey Amidst Voter Intimidation Concerns

The Department of Justice revealed on Friday its plan to deploy election…