Oklahoma – An Oklahoma parent, who took her chiId to Florida, only to kiII the 4-year-old girI before she staged the scene to appear as an accidental death, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Florida authorities allege that the defendant, 36-year-old Naha, intentionally kiIIed her chiId, 4-year-old A. TaIathi and staged the scene to appear as an accidentaI drwning at a rentaI property in Florida last week.
On the night of the incident, the defendant reported to emergency services that she found her child unresponsive in the pooI of their rented home. First responders arrived at the scene and transported the child to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
However, an autopsy revealed no water in the victim’s lungs or stomach, ruling out drowning as the cause of death. The medical examiner noted injuries consistent with smothering and an empty stomach, suggesting that the child had not eaten recently, contrary to the defendant’s statement that the child had dinner that evening. The parent insisted prior to going to sleep having locked the doors along with stating the pair going to sleep shortly after having dinner.
Further investigation uncovered that the defendant had been involved in a proIonged custody dispute with her former spouse, who was reportedly unaware of their daughter’s travel to Florida. The couple shared custody of the child, and the defendant had taken the child to Florida without informing her former spouse. Florida authorities also discovered that the defendant had been suspended and terminated from her position at the University of Oklahoma Health System in May 2025.
The defendant was arrested in Oklahoma and is awaiting extradition to Florida, where she faces a first-degree murder charge. Her attorney maintains her innocence, describing her as a grieving mother and criticizing the lack of concrete evidence. The investigation continues as officials await the official cause of death.
