Oklahoma Pediatrician Charged with Murdering 4-Year-Old Daughter, Allegedly Staging Death as Pool Drowning, Police Say

An Oklahoma pediatrician is now facing first-degree murder charges following the tragic death of her 4-year-old daughter, which authorities allege was staged to look like an accidental drowning. Neha Gupta, 36, was vacationing in El Portal, Miami, when she called emergency services around 3:30 a.m. on June 27, reporting a drowning incident at their rental property.

Upon arrival, emergency responders found Aria Talathi unresponsive in the pool. Despite immediate attempts at resuscitation and transport to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, the child was pronounced dead shortly after.

Gupta recounted to detectives that she and her daughter had enjoyed a day at the beach and jet skiing before having dinner around 9 p.m. They reportedly went to bed together by 12:30 a.m. She claimed to have woken up at 3:20 a.m. to an unidentified noise and discovered her daughter in the pool, stating she attempted to rescue her for about ten minutes before calling for help.

However, the investigation took a dark turn when an autopsy revealed no water in Talathi’s lungs or stomach. Instead, injuries found in her mouth and cheeks suggested asphyxiation by smothering. The medical examiner concluded that the child likely died before being placed in the pool, contradicting Gupta's account of events.

Evidence gathered by Miami homicide detectives, including surveillance footage and Gupta's statements, led to the issuance of an arrest warrant. Investigators later discovered that Gupta had returned to Oklahoma shortly after the incident.

On Wednesday, Miami-Dade police, in collaboration with local law enforcement and U.S. Marshals, located and arrested Gupta in Oklahoma City. She is currently awaiting extradition back to Miami-Dade County.

Following her arrest, Gupta's attorney expressed disappointment over what he described as a rushed judgment by law enforcement. “A grieving mother who just lost her daughter is in jail,” he stated, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation to reveal the truth.

Complicating matters further, Gupta was embroiled in a contentious custody battle with her ex-husband, Dr. Saurabh Talathi. He informed investigators that he was unaware of Gupta taking their daughter out of state. Court records indicate that the custody dispute involved aggressive tactics and protracted proceedings.

The couple's divorce was finalized in 2024 after filing in 2022, but Gupta's request for sole custody was denied by the court. Additionally, she had previously obtained a temporary protective order against Talathi, alleging domestic violence; however, this order was dismissed due to lack of evidence.

Financially strained, Gupta was ordered to pay $79,000 in attorney fees to Talathi, with his legal team seeking to garnish her wages or property. Around this time, Gupta was also terminated from her position at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital.

“Dr. Neha Gupta was suspended from patient care and given notice of termination as of May 30, 2025,” stated OU Health and the University of Oklahoma in a joint announcement following her arrest.