Sherin Mathews’ American mother Sini Mathews, 35, was arrested on Thursday by Richardson, TX, police on a felony charge of abandoning or endangering a child. The arrest affidavit states that the toddler’s mother went to dinner at a restaurant in North Garland, TX, with her husband, Wesley Mathews, the evening before 3-year-old Sherin, who was adopted from India, was reported missing by the little girl’s father, according to NBC 5.
According to Richardson Police Department, it was the father’s idea to take his wife and biological 4-year-old daughter to dinner while leaving Sherin at home alone in the family’s kitchen.
As a result of leaving her alone, law enforcement additionally explained that Sini Mathews put her small daughter in “imminent danger of death” and at the risk of bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment,” the narrative accompanying the arrest warrant states.
Detectives learn evening out, without toddler daughter from cell phone records
Detectives discerned that Sherin’s parents left her alone while they dined out with their biological daughter after obtaining their cell phone records and an itemized receipt for their meal, which reflected that they paid for only one child’s meal. Officers also interviewed their server, who verified that only one child accompanied the couple at the restaurant.
Sherin’s father admitted to police that he and his wife left the toddler for nearly two hours by herself, but when they returned home, from their dining excursion, Sherin was still in the kitchen. The little girl was not left in the care of an adult or anyone.
Felony charge ‘not necessarily’ related to child’s death
Sergeant Kevin Perlich, Richardson police public information officer, told NBC 5 (Dallas-Fort Worth) that the felony charge leveled against Sini Mathews is not “necessarily related” to Sherin’s death.
He elaborated, saying that the charge relates to the care the toddler received while she “was in that home.”
On October 22, Sherin’s body was discovered by law enforcement using K-9 detection dogs. She was found in a culvert less than a mile from the Mathews’ family home. The police department is awaiting the results of the autopsy from the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Officer regarding the cause of the little girl’s death, as well as the outcome from toxicology testing.
Sini Mathews, who was arraigned on Friday, is in custody at the Dallas County Jail. She is being held on $250,000 bond, according to CBS News. Richardson Police Department permitted her to surrender, according to her attorney Mitchell Nolte and NBC.
Mother surrenders after police say arrest warrant issued
Nolte stated that he and his client found out Thursday morning that police secured the arrest warrant for her and for the felony charge. He additionally expressed, “The police were professional and courteous.” Perlich said that Sini Mathew’s arrest evolved from law enforcement’s ongoing investigation. “It’s sort of a culmination of everything we’ve got so far,” the Dallas Morning News reported.
He also stated that “now was an appropriate time to make an arrest.”
On Friday, NBC 5 verified that Sini Mathews was terminated by her employer Children's Medical Center in Dallas “some point in the last month.” From the time that Sherin was reported missing on October 7, she has professed not knowing what happened to her little girl and that she was not involved in Sherin’s death. She told police that she was sleeping until police arrived – after her husband reported the toddler missing.
Wesley Mathews remains in custody as well and also at Dallas County Jail. His bond is set at $1 million. He currently faces a charge of felony injury to a child.
