After six weeks in Foster Care, following the arrest of both her parents, the four-year-old sister of Texas toddler Sherin Mathews has transferred out of foster care to stay with “family in the Houston-area,” according to WFAA. After a judge decided that the little girl could leave foster care yesterday, she was “transported” to her relative’s home, a Child Protective Services (CPS) representative told area media.

Before the determination was made to allow the little girl to transition from foster care, the judge weighed input from each of her parents’ lawyers, a lawyer for the little girl, and CPS, as well. To transfer the four-year-old into a family member’s home has remained an option from the time that CPS removed her from her biological family’s home on October 9, which was two days after her younger sister, Sherin was reported missing.

Events leading up to CPS removing toddler’s sister from family’s home

Sherin Mathews, who was born in India and was adopted, was discovered dead on October 22 in a culvert less than a mile from the Mathews’ family home during a search conducted by police using K-9 detection dogs.

The toddler’s 37-year-old father, Wesley Mathews, was arrested and charged on October 23 with felony injury to a child. He is in custody at Dallas County Jail on $1 million dollars bond.

The deceased toddler’s 35-year-old mother, Sini Mathews, is also locked up at the Dallas County Jail. Her bond is set at $250,000. She faces a charge of felony child abandonment or endangerment. She was arrested on November 16.

After obtaining cell phone records, along with financial documents, Richardson police learned that the little girls’ mother and father left Sherin home alone while they dined at a North Garland, TX restaurant with their biological daughter on the evening of October 6. The following morning, at approximately 8:12 AM, Wesley Mathews called the police and reported Sherin missing.

CPS says ‘rarely’ do locked up parents get visitation

Prior to Sherin’s sister leaving foster care, a home study was conducted, according to a spokeswoman for Texas’ Department of Family and Protective Services, Marissa Gonzales, the Dallas Morning News reported. Gonzales also stated that CPS does permit parents who are locked up to have visitation with their children but that “rarely happens.” Additionally, if the little girl’s mother posts bond and is released from jail, CPS may ask the judge to restrict “visitation rights.”

The Richardson Police department is still awaiting the findings from the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Officer respective of the cause of Sherin’s death, as well as the outcome of toxicology testing.

Depending on the results, charges could be modified, police relayed in earlier news reports. As a result of the “questionable circumstances” of the toddler’s death, Texas is not providing reunification services, FOX 4 News noted.

The next custody hearing with CPS is scheduled for November 29, NBC 5 (Dallas-Fort Worth) reported. Rafael De La Garza is Wesley Mathews’ criminal defense lawyer. De La Garza said his client is sad about his wife’s arrest and that he “hopes she will get out soon.”