In a shocking and tragic case, 36-year-old pediatrician Neha Gupta was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 4-year-old daughter, who was found floating in a pool at an Airbnb rental in Florida.
Initially appearing to be a tragic drowning, investigators soon discovered inconsistencies in Gupta’s story, leading to her arrest.
This case has drawn significant attention due to Gupta’s profession, the disturbing details surrounding the child’s death, and the ongoing custody battle between Gupta and her ex-husband, who had no knowledge of the trip.
The Incident and Gupta’s Claims
On the morning of June 27, 2024, police responded to a 911 call about an unresponsive child found submerged in a swimming pool at a rental property in the Park Hill neighborhood of Miami.
Upon arrival, officers found the child, who was later identified as Gupta’s daughter, unresponsive and submerged in the deep end of the pool. Despite life-saving measures, the child was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to the hospital.
Gupta, who was the only other person at the rental property, initially claimed that she and her daughter had spent the day on jet skis and at the beach before returning to the Airbnb. According to her statement, the child had fallen asleep after dinner, and Gupta went to bed with her.
She claimed she was awakened around 3:20 a.m. by an unidentified noise and discovered that her daughter was missing from the bed.
Gupta said she then found the sliding glass door open and saw her daughter submerged in the pool. Despite her inability to swim, Gupta claimed she attempted to rescue her daughter for about 10 minutes before calling 911.
Inconsistencies and Findings
Although Gupta’s story seemed plausible at first, investigators quickly found evidence that contradicted her account. The autopsy revealed shocking findings: the victim’s lungs and stomach did not contain water, which ruled out drowning as the cause of death.
Additionally, the medical examiner found cuts inside the child’s mouth and bruising on her cheeks—injuries inconsistent with live-saving attempts. These injuries suggested that the child had been smothered prior to being placed in the pool.
Further investigation revealed that the child’s stomach was empty, which contradicted Gupta’s claim that they had eaten dinner together earlier that evening. The circumstances pointed to the possibility that Gupta had intentionally caused her daughter’s death and then staged the scene to look like an accidental drowning.
The Legal Proceedings and Gupta’s Arrest
Following the preliminary investigation, it became clear to authorities that Gupta had staged her daughter’s death to appear as an accidental drowning.
She was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, and tampering with evidence, and is currently being held in Oklahoma without bond while awaiting extradition to Florida.
The University of Oklahoma, where Gupta had worked as a pediatrician, announced that she had been suspended from patient care and given notice of termination as of May 30, 2024, before the tragedy occurred.
The Custody Battle
At the time of her daughter’s death, Gupta shared custody of the child with her ex-husband, who was reportedly unaware that Gupta had taken their daughter to Florida. The ex-husband has described an ongoing custody battle over their daughter, adding a layer of complexity to the tragic case.
Legal Defense and Gupta’s Attorney
Gupta’s attorney, Richard L. Cooper, has expressed his disappointment in the charges, describing them as premature and “flimsy.” He pointed out that Gupta had been fully cooperative with the investigation, even meeting with the police and State Attorney’s Office at their request.
Cooper argued that Gupta, as a grieving mother, should not have been charged so quickly, particularly after only one day of investigation.
“I’m extremely disappointed… that the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office would charge a grieving mother with 1st-degree murder,” Cooper said. “Let’s assume for a second that my client is innocent: she has had the worst tragedy imaginable and then she’s locked up without bond and is missing her own daughter’s funeral.”
The arrest and charges against Neha Gupta have left many shocked and saddened by the tragic death of her 4-year-old daughter. What initially seemed to be a tragic drowning now appears to have been a carefully staged attempt to conceal a much darker crime.
As Gupta awaits her trial, the case raises important questions about how mental health, custody disputes, and domestic issues may contribute to violent actions. The ongoing legal proceedings will shed further light on the disturbing circumstances of this case, with the hope that justice will be served for the victim.
