Florida, February 23,2012: NRI Neha Patel, accused of killing her one-year-old son, has been held without bond. Thirty-two-year-old Neha was being held Monday and faces a charge of first-degree murder.
According to investigators, Patel slapped Ishan, her 1-year-old son, then purposefully left him alone to drown in a bathtub half full of water at their Lakeland home. When she returned 10 minutes later and found him unconscious, she refused to perform CPR, even though she knew the procedure, the sheriff’s office said.
She was arrested on Friday by Tampa International Airport Police. According to the sheriff’s office, Patel was suffering from post-partum depression. She told deputies she “hated” her baby since the day he was born and blamed him for her “state of mind”. Patel told investigators she was home alone with her son on Thursday. The baby began to crawl toward her in the living room; she slapped him because she hated the child and wanted to discourage him from coming close to her, the sheriff’s office said. She then put him in the bathtub, which was half full of water, and left him alone, the sheriff’s office said. She returned and found Ishan unconscious. She refused to perform CPR or call 911, instead dressing the child and driving to the parking lot of a nearby supermarket, then returned home. She then went on a long drive with her son’s body. She told detectives she knew her son was dead while she was driving with him because he was “blue” and “cold.” Her husband, Rasesh Patel, last saw his wife and son when he left at 7:20 am. Thursday to drop his 4-year-old daughter off at preschool and go to work. Rasesh Patel called police Thursday evening to report his wife and son missing, saying she suffered from depression and hadn’t been taking her medication. Neha Patel came home between 2 and 2:40 am on Friday, and was confronted by her husband. She took the baby to his room and placed him in his crib, telling her husband she drowned their son. She then drove off, telling her husband that was going to kill herself. Neha Patel drove to Tampa International Airport, where she was arrested.
According to investigators, Patel slapped Ishan, her 1-year-old son, then purposefully left him alone to drown in a bathtub half full of water at their Lakeland home. When she returned 10 minutes later and found him unconscious, she refused to perform CPR, even though she knew the procedure, the sheriff’s office said.
She was arrested on Friday by Tampa International Airport Police. According to the sheriff’s office, Patel was suffering from post-partum depression. She told deputies she “hated” her baby since the day he was born and blamed him for her “state of mind”. Patel told investigators she was home alone with her son on Thursday. The baby began to crawl toward her in the living room; she slapped him because she hated the child and wanted to discourage him from coming close to her, the sheriff’s office said. She then put him in the bathtub, which was half full of water, and left him alone, the sheriff’s office said. She returned and found Ishan unconscious. She refused to perform CPR or call 911, instead dressing the child and driving to the parking lot of a nearby supermarket, then returned home. She then went on a long drive with her son’s body. She told detectives she knew her son was dead while she was driving with him because he was “blue” and “cold.” Her husband, Rasesh Patel, last saw his wife and son when he left at 7:20 am. Thursday to drop his 4-year-old daughter off at preschool and go to work. Rasesh Patel called police Thursday evening to report his wife and son missing, saying she suffered from depression and hadn’t been taking her medication. Neha Patel came home between 2 and 2:40 am on Friday, and was confronted by her husband. She took the baby to his room and placed him in his crib, telling her husband she drowned their son. She then drove off, telling her husband that was going to kill herself. Neha Patel drove to Tampa International Airport, where she was arrested.