Oklahoma – A 36-year-old mother, who traveled with her 4-year-old daughter to Florida, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder after authorities say she killed her child and staged the scene to make it look like an accidental drowning.
The Incident
Last week, the defendant, identified as Naha, reported to emergency services that she found her daughter, A. Talathi, unresponsive in the pool of their rental property in Florida. First responders arrived at the scene, transported the child to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Autopsy and Investigation
However, an autopsy revealed that there was no water in the child’s lungs or stomach, which ruled out drowning as the cause of death. The medical examiner discovered injuries consistent with smothering, and found the child’s stomach to be empty, suggesting she had not eaten recently.
This contradicted the mother’s statement that the child had dinner before going to sleep. Authorities also uncovered that the defendant had locked the doors before going to bed, claiming they had both gone to sleep shortly after dinner.
Background and Custody Dispute
Further investigation revealed that Naha had been involved in a long-running custody dispute with her former spouse, who was reportedly unaware that the child had been taken to Florida. The couple had shared custody of A. Talathi, and Naha had traveled to Florida without informing her ex.
Florida authorities also discovered that Naha had been suspended and later terminated from her job at the University of Oklahoma Health System in May 2025.
Arrest and Legal Proceedings
Naha was arrested in Oklahoma and is awaiting extradition to Florida, where she faces a first-degree murder charge. Her attorney maintains that she is innocent and has described her as a grieving mother. The defense criticized the lack of concrete evidence in the case.
The investigation is ongoing as officials continue to gather information and await the official cause of death.