Oklahoma Mom Charged With Murder After Daughter Found Dead in Miami Airbnb Pool

MIAMI-DADE, FL — A vacation meant to bring a mother and daughter closer has ended in heartbreak, horror, and a murder charge.
Dr. Neha Gupta, a 36-year-old pediatrician from Oklahoma City, is now at the center of a chilling case that has stunned both her community and the nation.

The death of her daughter, Aria Talathi, initially appeared to be a tragic drowning at a vacation rental in El Portal, Florida, just outside Miami. But according to investigators and an autopsy report, what really happened may have been far more sinister—a calculated act to end a child’s life and cover it up.

A Mother, A Daughter, and a Miami Vacation

Dr. Gupta and her daughter arrived in Miami on June 24, reportedly to spend time together during her shared custody period.
Aria, a bright and spirited 4-year-old, was the product of a difficult divorce and custody dispute between Gupta and her ex-husband, Dr. Saurabh Talathi, who had raised repeated concerns over their daughter’s safety while in Gupta’s care.

But nothing could have prepared anyone for what was to come.

“She Was Floating”: A Mother’s Frantic 911 Call

On the night of June 27, just before 4:00 a.m., emergency crews rushed to a rental property after Gupta called 911 to report that Aria was unconscious in the pool.
Gupta told police she had woken up to strange noises, found her daughter floating, and pulled her out of the water. She claimed she attempted CPR for at least ten minutes before finally calling for help.

But detectives immediately felt something was off. The timing, her demeanor, and the physical evidence just didn’t add up.

The Autopsy Tells a Different Story

The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner found no water in Aria’s lungs or stomach—meaning she had not drowned.
Instead, injuries to her mouth and cheeks were consistent with smothering. There were no signs of a struggle in the home, and surveillance footage showed no other people had entered or exited.

Investigators allege Gupta tried to stage a drowning to make the child’s death look accidental—something they say was part of a deliberate, premeditated act.
What’s even more chilling: Aria’s stomach was empty, contradicting Gupta’s claim that she’d had dinner just hours earlier.

A Sudden Arrest Back in Oklahoma

By the time the autopsy results were finalized, Dr. Gupta had already returned to Oklahoma.
On July 1, U.S. Marshals and local police arrested her in Edmond, Oklahoma. She was held without bond and extradited to Florida. As of this writing, she remains in Miami-Dade’s Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, facing a first-degree murder charge.

The Father’s Grief, the Defense’s Claims

Dr. Saurabh Talathi has remained largely silent in public, but sources close to the case say he’s devastated and had long been concerned about Gupta’s emotional stability.
Court records reportedly show previous allegations of erratic behavior.

Gupta’s attorney, Richard Cooper, argues the state is rushing to judgment:

“This was a tragic accident, and nothing more. She tried to save her daughter. She cooperated fully. She loved Aria deeply.”

He added that an independent autopsy may be requested.

A Case That Cuts Deep

This is not just a story of one child and one mother. It’s a gut-wrenching example of how even those trained to care for children—like doctors—can fall into unimaginable darkness.

If the charges are true, they raise critical questions:

• Were warning signs missed during the custody dispute?

• Should mental health evaluations be mandatory in family court disputes?

• What systems failed to protect Aria?

What Happens Now?

Dr. Neha Gupta is charged with first-degree premeditated murder. She will remain in custody pending further hearings.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office says they intend to prosecute this case to the fullest.

In the courtroom, Aria’s name will be mentioned again and again. But for the many who followed her story, she’s not just a name in a headline.
She was a child. Innocent. Beloved. And now, gone too soon.