The mother of a four-year-old girl found floating in a Miami-Dade pool last week is now accused of murdering her own daughter, authorities said.
On Wednesday, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 36-year-old Dr. Neha Gupta, a pediatrician from Oklahoma City, in connection with her daughter’s drowning on June 27. She is currently detained and awaiting extradition to Miami-Dade County, where she will be facing a first-degree murder charge, authorities said.
MDSO is still investigating the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death. Authorities have not said how the child ended up in the pool or revealed other details.
Oklahoma County Detention Center
Mother and daughter were staying at a short-term rental at the time of death
MDSO said the preliminary investigation revealed that Gupta and her daughter had traveled from Oklahoma City and were staying at a short-term rental in El Portal, a village just north of Miami city limits.
According to investigators, Village of El Portal Police officers responded to reports of a drowning child in a residential pool near Northwest 90th Street and Northwest 1st Avenue early Friday morning.
At the time, authorities said someone had called 911 around 3:40 a.m. to report a child in distress, and a dispatcher was heard in a radio transmission saying, “The patient is in the pool and drowning.”
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue also responded to the scene and took the girl to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where she died.
Through a police transmission, CBS News Miami found that a woman was inside the home and saw the child in the pool, but was unable to help. A dispatcher was heard saying, “The complainant is advising [that] the juvenile is in the pool and she can’t swim to get to her.” It is unconfirmed at this time whether this was Gupta or another person.
Neighbors told CBS News Miami they were devastated by the news and questioned how the girl ended up outside so early in the morning.
