Aug. 24- Hundreds gathered at Signal Hill Park on Saturday morning to pray for Mamta Kafle Bhatt, the Manassas Park nurse and first-time mother whose husband has been charged with concealing a body in connection with her death, though her whereabouts remain unknown.
Friends, co-workers and members of the Nepali American Community Center organized the event in Manassas Park, which featured several speakers and updates about the future of Bhatt’s daughter, Neema, who turned 1 earlier this week.
Neema is in the emergency custody of social services and “in very safe hands right now,” said Holly Wirth, a former colleague of Mamta Bhatt, who worked as a nurse at UVA Prince William Medical Center. Permanent custody will be determined later.
A GoFundMe launched by the Nepalese community on behalf of Bhatt’s daughter had raised over $167,000 by Saturday afternoon. Organizers said a portion of the money will be used to bring Mamta Bhatt’s mother and brother to the United States next week on an emergency visa, and house them while they are here.
The rest will be invested in a trust for when she turns 18. A financial planner and lawyers are involved in the planning process, with a custodial account being opened Monday, organizers told the crowd.
The gathering was also a rallying cry to keep searching for Bhatt and keep her story alive as the case against her husband unfolds.
“There must be full accountability, there must be full justice and … it needs to come as soon as possible,” state Sen. Danica Roem, D-30th told the crowd.
Several speakers also touched on alleged past abuse in the Bhatt’s relationship, expressing regret and guilt for not doing more, while others said they wished Mamta Bhatt had left the marriage before it was too late.
“We’re all in the moment of what could we have done differently,” one speaker said.
Manassas Park resident and state Del. Michelle Maldonado, D-20th, said she is putting together a gathering for Sept. 30 to “learn about what domestic violence looks like” and how to help, or get away yourself.
Several speakers also touched on alleged past abuse in the Bhatt’s relationship, expressing regret and guilt for not doing more, while others said they wished Mamta Bhatt had left the marriage before it was too late.
“We’re all in the moment of what could we have done differently,” one speaker said.
“I wish we were here under different circumstances, but the one thing that fills my heart is the love of this community,” she told the crowd. “The message of unity and healing is so important. I want us to feel love while we hold people accountable.”
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