Missing Virginia mom’s husband charged with concealment of a body

( NewsNation ) — The husband of a 28-year-old Virginia mother who has been missing for more than three weeks has been charged in connection with her disappearance, police said.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt was last seen in public July 27 at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center in Manassas, and spoke to a friend the next day, according to the Manassas Park Police Department (MPPD). She was then last seen by her husband, Naresh Bhatt, on July 31, and was reported missing by her husband Aug. 5, NewsNation affiliate WDVM-TV reported.

MPPD said Naresh Bhatt was arrested Thursday at his family home and was charged with concealment of a dead body .

He’s being held without bond, pending his arraignment Friday.

The couple’s daughter was placed in the care of the Department of Social Services following Naresh Bhatt’s arrest, police said.

Who is Mamta Kafle Bhatt?

Mamta Bhatt is a mother to a child who turned 1 year old earlier this week, and is a nurse who worked at INOVA hospitals and the UVA Health Prince William Medical Center, WDVM reported.

MPPD said she’s missing “under involuntary circumstances.”

On Wednesday, police said they obtained and executed more than 10 search warrants and conducted hundreds of interviews since her disappearance.

Police searched the Bhatt family home during which “detectives obtained additional evidence,” according to a press release from MPPD.

Additionally, they confirmed they had a few people of interest in the disappearance, per WDVM, and said Naresh Bhatt had not been cooperating with the investigation.

Bhatt’s husband could face more charges

In a meeting closed to the press, officers told community members that additional and elevated charges against Naresh Bhatt could be forthcoming, WDVM reported.

Community members are working to get essentials together for the couple’s daughter and help Mamta Bhatt’s mother travel from Nepal to the U.S. to help care for the child.

Police said they’re continuing to search for the missing mom and hope to locate her.

When asked if the missing mom and nurse was still alive, the prosecutor for Prince William County replied, “We don’t know. But we are working the investigation. We are working carefully.”

The Manassas Park Police Department is asking anyone with information on Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s whereabouts to call them at 703-361-1136.

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