Aria Gupta dies in fatal Miami-Dade County drowning

Aria Gupta dies in fatal Miami-Dade County drowning

Fatal Miami-Dade County drowning death of Aria Gupta

The circumstances surrounding the death of Aria Gupta, a four-year-old girl, are now the subject of a murder investigation. Detectives indicate that an Oklahoma physician journeyed to South Florida and deliberately created the appearance that her child drowned, intending to conceal a homicide by staging an accidental drowning at their leased vacation property.

Dr. Neha Gupta, a 36-year-old pediatrician based in Oklahoma, was processed for booking at the Oklahoma County Jail in Oklahoma City on Tuesday. According to an arrest warrant, she is facing a first-degree murder charge in Miami-Dade County.

Miami-Dade law enforcement officials detail that Dr. Gupta allegedly traveled to the region, where she staged the death of her four-year-old daughter to simulate a drowning incident in the swimming pool at their rental home during the early morning hours.

The investigation began after Gupta’s daughter was found deceased at their vacation accommodation. Detectives reported that the doctor arrived in the area and intentionally made it appear that the child drowned in the swimming pool, fabricating an accidental death scenario.

Miami-Dade’s homicide detective documented in an affidavit that Gupta “attempted to conceal the killing of the deceased victim by staging an accidental drowning within the swimming pool of a rental property.” The details were obtained by The Associated Press.

However, her legal representative, Richard Cooper from Miami, expressed surprise at the murder charge. Cooper stated his client willingly shared their account and was taken aback by the severity of the accusation. The doctor’s lawyer contends that Gupta is a victim of a tragic event.

“No one thought in a million years that she would be charged with murder,” Cooper stated during an interview.

In addition to the murder charge in Florida, the Oklahoma County Jail records indicate Gupta is being held locally on suspicion of evading prosecution in Florida. Gupta is currently incarcerated without bail, and Florida officials are requesting her return to Miami to face the charges.

According to investigators, Gupta told them she was asleep beside her daughter Aria at the vacation rental when she heard a commotion around 3:20 a.m. on June 27. She discovered the sliding-glass door connecting the bedroom to the patio was open.

Cooper, who visited the home after the child’s death, found the latch on the sliding-glass door so easily accessible that he could open it with his pinky finger.

“She explained her actions, and her account seemed plausible to me,” Cooper noted.

Gupta informed investigators she went outside and found Aria submerged in water at the deep end of the pool. The affidavit states Gupta attempted to rescue her daughter but admits she doesn’t know how to swim and couldn’t save the child.

Emergency responders performed CPR, but Aria was pronounced dead at the hospital before daybreak.

The child’s autopsy ruled out drowning as the cause of death, with the medical examiner finding no water in the lungs or stomach. An independent doctor concluded the child was deceased before being positioned in the pool.

The initial report from the medical examiner stated the cause and manner of death were pending, but preliminary findings suggested injuries consistent with asphyxiation by smothering.

Police have not publicly disclosed any potential motive, though the investigation notes Gupta shared custody with her ex-husband, who reported being unaware of the Florida trip.

Investigators determined from surveillance footage and booking records that Gupta and her daughter were the only occupants of the rental property.

Cooper maintains there’s insufficient evidence to support the murder charge and intends to arrange for an independent autopsy.

“She is a mother who has been through an immense tragedy,” Cooper shared. “She has lost her daughter, and now she’s in jail separated from her child’s funeral arrangements.”

Cooper described accompanying Gupta to funeral home discussions, adding, “We as parents pray never to face such tasks.”

Gupta worked at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, affiliated with the University of Oklahoma’s health system. University records showed her as an assistant professor at the health sciences center.

The university issued a statement announcing Gupta’s suspension from patient care, termination notice, and cessation of patient treatment at the health system.

The university declined to provide details regarding the reasons for these actions.

“The circumstances surrounding her termination remain unclear, but her professional standing prior to this incident appears strong,” Cooper noted. “This situation is utterly baffling to me.”