Virginia police investigating the disappearance of a 28-year-old mother who went missing last month said Thursday they have arrested her husband on charges of concealing a body.
Mamta Kafte Bhatt was last seen on July 27, the Manassas Park Police Department said on Thursday, and spoke to a friend over the phone on July 28, according to CBS affiliate WUSA. Her husband Naresh Bhatt reported last seeing her on July 31, according to WUSA, but he did not report her missing until August 5.
Before his arrest, Bhatt told WUSA that his wife had disappeared three other times, but never for this long. Earlier this month, police said the woman had been “involuntarily” missing.
A search warrant for the couple’s home was executed on Wednesday, police said. During the search, police obtained “additional evidence” that led to the charges. Bhatt was marched out of his home in handcuffs on Thursday, WUSA reported.
During the news conference, police also said Bhatt was not cooperating with the investigation.
The couple’s one-year-old daughter was also taken from the home and has been placed in the care of the Department of Social Services, police said, and is “safe and being cared for by an appropriate care giver.”
“I’ve always thought that he did something,” neighbor Ivy Freedman told WUSA. “The mother wouldn’t leave her baby. Definitely wouldn’t miss her first birthday.”
Despite the charge of concealing a body, police said they are still investigating Kafle Bhatt’s disappearance and “hoping to locate her.” During a Thursday news conference, officials said they could not confirm she was dead.
In addition to Bhatt’s arrest, police said they have conducted hundreds of interviews and executed 10 search warrants while investigating Kafle Bhatt’s disappearance. Police said they are actively pursuing “additional investigative leads” that may result in additional charges.
