Oklahoma Pediatrician accused of killing 4-year-old daughter then staging death as pool accident amid custody battle



Friday, July 4, 2025 - An Oklahoma pediatrician is facing a first-degree murder charge after authorities say she killed her 4-year-old daughter in Florida and staged the scene to look like an accidental drowning.

Dr. Neha Gupta, 36, was on vacation in El Portal, a neighborhood in Miami, with her daughter, Aria Talathi, when she called 911 around 3:30 a.m. on June 27 to report finding the child unresponsive in the pool of their short-term rental home.

Responders arrived to find Aria still in the water, immediately pulled her out, and began CPR. She was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center but was pronounced dead about an hour later.

Gupta initially told investigators that after a day at the beach and riding jet skis, they had dinner around 9 p.m. and went to bed together by 12:30 a.m. She claimed she awoke at 3:20 a.m. to an “unidentified noise” in the backyard, found Aria in the pool, and tried to rescue her for about 10 minutes before calling 911—despite saying she could not swim.

What first appeared to be a tragic accident soon took a darker turn. An autopsy found no water in the child’s lungs or stomach, evidence that typically points away from drowning—and revealed injuries inside her mouth and cheeks consistent with smothering. The medical examiner concluded Aria likely died before being placed in the pool. Additionally, her empty stomach contradicted Gupta’s claim that they had eaten dinner hours earlier.

Detectives also gathered surveillance footage and other evidence, which, combined with inconsistencies in Gupta’s statement and consultations with prosecutors, led investigators to believe she staged her daughter’s death.

By the time an arrest warrant was issued, Gupta had already returned to Oklahoma. Miami-Dade detectives, assisted by the Oklahoma City Police Homicide Unit and U.S. Marshals, tracked her down and arrested her. She is now awaiting extradition to Miami-Dade County.

Gupta’s attorney, Richard Cooper, criticized law enforcement, claiming they “succumbed to pressure and rushed to judgment,” adding, “as a result, a grieving mother who just lost her daughter is in jail.” He expressed confidence a full investigation would reveal the truth.

Court documents reveal Gupta was in a bitter two-year custody battle with her ex-husband, Dr. Saurabh Talathi, who told authorities he was unaware she had taken their daughter out of state. Gupta had unsuccessfully sought sole custody, and a judge ultimately ordered her to pay Talathi $79,000 in legal fees. His attorneys recently filed to garnish Gupta’s wages or assets.

The case was marked by accusations on both sides, including Gupta’s short-lived protective order request alleging domestic violence, which was later dismissed for lack of evidence.

Shortly before her arrest, Gupta was terminated from Oklahoma Children’s Hospital and the University of Oklahoma. In a joint statement, the institutions confirmed she was removed from patient care in late May and was no longer employed at either facility.

Gupta now faces the prospect of life in prison if convicted, as her case moves back to Florida courts where she will be formally arraigned. 

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