A community gathered to grieve in Northern Virginia Thursday night after the husband of a missing mother and nurse was arrested earlier in the day, accused of concealing a dead body.
The search for 28-year-old Mamta Kafle Bhatt continues nearly a month after she was last seen by anybody except her husband. At a candlelight vigil outside her Manassas Park home, friends focused on her baby daughter, who turned 1 earlier this week.
Bhatt was originally from Nepal, and her supporters from the Nepalese community listened to a recording of what’s known as the peace mantra — chanted 108 times to align Bhatt’s spirit with eternity.
Hours earlier her husband, Naresh Bhatt, was walked out of their home in handcuffs. Not long after, a police officer carried the couple’s daughter from the home.
- Editor's note: Chilling details were revealed Friday as Naresh Bhatt was arraigned in court. Here are the latest updates.
Friends have started a fundraising effort to keep the baby out of foster care by bringing Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s mother from Nepal to care for the child.
“I’m pleased to share that we’ve set up a GoFundMe,” friend Holly Wirth said. “It’s called Justice for Mamta. We are collecting funds that will be put in a dedicated trust account to care for her daughter.”
The girl is in the care of the Department of Social Services, authorities said.
Friends say they also will start an effort to empower those suffering domestic violence.
“Better that you live happily than you die like this one day,” friend Bina Khatkalama said. “You know … we do not want anymore Mamta.”
They have planned an event Saturday at Signal Hill Park to remember Mamta Kafle Bhatt.
Manassas Park police initially said she was last seen on July 31 based on information from her husband. Since his arrest, authorities now say she was last seen on July 27, the last day she showed up to work.
Husband accused of concealing body; search continues
The charge that Naresh Bhatt faces means police have evidence that a dead body was concealed, not necessarily that a body was found.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth briefly spoke with reporters outside the family’s home on Thursday afternoon.
“Is she alive?” News4 asked.
“We don’t know! We don’t know! But we are working this investigation. We’re working carefully, and there’s just a lot of things moving very quickly right now," Ashworth said.
During a search Wednesday, “detectives obtained additional evidence,” the statement from prosecutors and police on Thursday said, without detailing what they found or what it suggested.
"The Manassas Park Police Department is still investigating the disappearance of Mamta Kafle Bhatt and hoping to locate her," the statement said.
“There are additional investigative leads being actively pursued and may result in additional charges being brought,” it continued, in part.
Naresh Bhatt was held without bond and is set to be arraigned Friday. It wasn't immediately clear if he has a lawyer.
Mamta Kafle Bhatt missing more than 3 weeks
Mamta Kafle Bhatt reported to her job as a pediatric nurse at the UVA Prince William Medical Center on July 27, according to a police timeline. She spoke to a friend on July 28. In earlier stages of the investigation, police said she was last seen at her home by her husband on July 31.
Her coworkers requested a welfare check on Aug. 2, after she failed to show up for work. Officers went to the home and spoke to her husband, who at that time gave them additional information and said he didn't want to report her as missing.
Three days later, he contacted police and reported her missing.
Her disappearance was not declared involuntary until Aug. 8. The pace has frustrated her friends.
Manassas Park police say the missing woman's credit cards, bank statements and phone have showed no activity since her disappearance.
As her daughter turned 1 year old this week, her friends saw a time to try to renew interest in her disappearance. Some met with the police chief on Monday and said their friend's disappearance was unlike her.
Police executed a search warrant at the couple's home Wednesday evening. A heavy police presence was seen surrounding the home. Forensic investigators were inside the family's home on a cul-de-sac, taking pictures in what appeared to be the primary bedroom on the second floor.
Police have conducted hundreds of interviews and received hundreds of leads, Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo said.
A large crowd at Wednesday night's news conference grew heated. Friends of Mamta Kafle Bhatt and members of the Nepalese community are frustrated with what they perceive as a lack of information.
Lugo gave his statement and then tried to leave, but he returned to the podium as people yelled questions. Only then did he answer that her husband has been a person of interest and was not cooperating.
Mamta Kafle Bhatt is 5 feet tall and about 130 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact Manassas Park police.
