Missing 3 Year Old in Texas

[Howl]

Right now I think (based on very little knowledge about the legal system but lots of time watching true crime shows on TV) that the dad's lawyer is trying make a case for involuntary manslaughter vs. murder.  

Also, I'm thinking maybe the dad wrapped up the little body before placing it in the culvert, so the "I left her outside and she wandered off" story was no longer viable. 

The autopsy will tell the tale of what really happened to her. 

For those with insight into Indian culture, might an orphan adopted into a family likely be considered "less than" a biological child or might there still be some lingering aspects of caste discrimination?  

 

[Howl]

Mathews was transferred Wednesday from the Richardson Jail to Dallas County's Lew Sterrett Justice Center in Dallas and is on suicide watch.

Re: The latest iteration of his story of Sherin choking on milk:   his wife is a nurse -- why didn't he wake her for help as he watched his child dying?

[Nikedagain?]

20 hours ago, chaotic life said:

If a child is so failure to thrive that they require assistance to eat at 3am, then you put in a g-tube.

Exactly! I can't imagine any physician telling a FTT parent to force cow's milk at 3 am. Ridiculous. 

[EmmieJ]

19 hours ago, kacarlton said:

I’m gonna go with her “dad” was an evil SOB.

Yep, that's my belief too.  And the wife is involved somehow, too.  

[Penny]

Wow, I did not know the wife is a nurse. Now I don't buy any of this. 

[browngrl]

9 hours ago, Howl said:

For those with insight into Indian culture, might an orphan adopted into a family likely be considered "less than" a biological child or might there still be some lingering aspects of caste discrimination?  

I can only speak for my Gujarati family but one of my cousins adopted a little girl (not so little now - she's in university) and as far as we are concerned she is family.  I was discussing this case with my mom/dad/some aunts and uncles  and we are all horrified by this tragedy. I suspect most Indian families would have the same reaction as my family. 

[Demonfan]

@Howl My family is South Indian, so again my perspective is skewed to that group. Societal norms are changing so rapidly, and are so varied that it is hard to say. I feel like it would depend on the family involved. Some would have issues, others not. My family in India are aware of this case, and are saddened and disgusted. I will venture to say that in more conservative homes, or in previous generations attitudes twords adoption may be less favorable.

[chaotic life]

India has dramatically reduced their international adoption program over the last twenty years thanks to an extensive and aggressive domestic adoption program. A dozen years ago, we were told that had my son not had a medical condition there was no way he would have been available for international adoption as a domestic home would have easily been found for him.

I cannot tell you the climate in India today, but I would imagine it has continued to progress in the years since we were in the depths of that community.

That said, many Indian friends at the time also told me there was still a bias in some areas of Indian society as adoptees can be seen as casteless and especially older generations were unhappy about it.

[Demonfan]

Again, I am only speaking of the specific group of Hinduism I was raised in. Part of the reason that adoption is/ was not as popular, is that your lineage going back thousands of years is known,and is nessesary to be recited during rituals. Also, factor in astrology, where your exact birth time is used to calculate a horoscope which is used as a factor to determine marriage and even your name. In the group I was raised in "outsiders" we're so feared that 1st cousin marriage was common a generation ago. 

[usedtobenice]

Sherin was laid to rest on Tuesday after a private funeral. Where she is buried has not been disclosed because the family said they fear desecration of the grave.

That makes no sense to me, due to outpouring of love for her. Also, a memorial area was made near she was found. I have not been by there, but from what I've read it is quite large.

[Penny]

Breaking news, Mom has been arrested. 

From WFAA

Sini Mathews, the adoptive mother of Sherin Mathews, has been charged with abandoning or endangering a child after turning herself in to police Thursday afternoon.

Sini was escorted by her attorney when she turned herself in at the Richardson City Jail.

The charges come three days after Sini appeared in court for custody of her biological 4-year-old daughter, who has been in foster care for the past four weeks. 

RELATED: A look at Sherin Mathews' life in India

Sini's husband, Wesley, remains in police custody on an injury to a child charge. He was arrested when Sherin's body was found on Oct. 7 on a child endangerment charge and was re-arrested Oct. 23.

RELATED: Sherin Mathews laid to rest with mom in attendance 

An arrest warrant affidavit obtained by WFAA Thursday details what happened the day before Sherin was reported missing. According to the affidavit, Sini, Wesley Mathews and their biological daughter went to a restaurant in North Garland, leaving Sherin behind. 

Sherin Mathews   (Photo: WFAA)

Cell phone records and receipts place Sini and Wesley at the restaurant the night of Oct. 6. The itemized receipt indicated that the family ordered one child's meal at the restaurant, which was also confirmed by the waiter serving their table. 

The affidavit says Sherin was left at home for an hour-and-a-half. When her adoptive parents returned, she was "still in the kitchen." The affidavit does not provide clarity on how or when Sherin died.

 

I can think of a great punishment for both of them.

[AuntKrazy]

@Penny somehow I am not surprised.  The more the story changes, the worse it gets.  :-(

[Penny]

1 hour ago, AuntKrazy said:

@Penny somehow I am not surprised.  The more the story changes, the worse it gets.  :-(

This is one trial I would like to see in person.  I hope both parents get jail with no parole.  I don't think we will get the whole story until the trial.  

[Howl]

I keep checking google for autopsy results, but I'm guessing autopsy results didn't corroborate either of the parent's stories.  

2 hours ago, Penny said:

The affidavit says Sherin was left at home for an hour-and-a-half.

This is heart wrenching and sad on so many levels, with the implication that she was home alone, and not with a baby sitter.

The bio child is now effectively an orphan, which is a tragedy in itself. 

[HarryPotterFan]

36 minutes ago, Howl said:

The bio child is now effectively an orphan, which is a tragedy in itself. 

I hope someone hugs her and hold her close, and gives her all the love she needs. She must be so scared and confused. How do you explain to a child so young that her little sister is gone, and her parents are responsible?

My heart really breaks for Sherin. With this latest piece of info, who knows how they treated or neglected her or what.

It's confirmed Sherin was left alone: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Sini-Mathews-Surrenders-to-Police-Arrested-on-Child-Endangerment-Charge-458059503.html

Quote

In a statement released Thursday, Richardson police said detectives learned Sini and Wesley Mathews took their 4-year-old biological daughter to dinner and left their adopted 3-year-old daughter, Sherin, alone at home, placing her in "imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment."

"The time that they left, she was not under the care of any other adult or of any other person, she was left home alone by herself and it's for that reason that you see this particular charge," said Kevin Perlich, with the Richardson Police Department. "It's not necessarily related to her death, it's related to her care that she was being given while she was in that home."

More about punishing her for not drinking milk 

Quote

During an interview with detectives, Wesley Mathews, 37, admitted to leaving Sherin home alone after growing frustrated she wouldn't drink her milk and said they returned home after about 90 minutes and found her where they left her, in the kitchen.

More in the link, which includes the arrest affidavit. Sini and Wesley also maintain Sherin was alive when they got home, but that's being investigated.

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

3 hours ago, Penny said:

This is one trial I would like to see in person.  I hope both parents get jail with no parole.  I don't think we will get the whole story until the trial.  

I know that I wouldn't be able to sit through a trial like that. We had a case here several years ago of a mom and her boyfriend torturing and murdering her son. The highlights in the evening news were as much as I could take. I was so glad when those two got appropriate sentences.

[Bethella]

15 hours ago, HarryPotterFan said:

How do you explain to a child so young that her little sister is gone, and her parents are responsible?

A child that young doesn't fully understand death, although she's at the age where she might understand the irreversability of death. So you can probably tell her that Sherin is dead and not coming back. But it's premature to tell her that her parents are responsible, for one thing, she doesn't need to know and for the other, despite what we all believe, they haven't been convicted yet. Tell her that they all had to go away, maybe say that mommy and daddy did something bad and are in an adult timeout without giving details. But to give that kind of information on a child that young would be cruel in my opinion. There will be plenty of time to explain it all when she's older.

[AuntKrazy]

I'm finding it odd that the first criminal defense attorney for the mother is no longer representing her, and she has a new legal team.

[Demonfan]

I was reluctant to cast suspicion  on the mother, but I have had a feeling that they were both involved. I don't think this was an isolated incident of abuse.

[Penny]

19 minutes ago, Demonfan said:

I was reluctant to cast suspicion  on the mother, but I have had a feeling that they were both involved. I don't think this was an isolated incident of abuse.

I think you are right. 

[Beermeet]

My god.  I just don't have the words for this.  To leave a 3 year old home alone and eat dinner while she is still alive or dead is psychotic. To sit there, ordering, eating , paying......How do they do such a thing?  Monsters are real.  Just not under your bed or in your closet ones.  Oh, those sweet innocent babies.  My god, too horrible.

[LydiaAnn]

I remember my initial thoughts when I saw the story in the news about this missing little girl. I thought the details surrounding her dad, and his "story" of how she ended up missing made NO sense to me. I immediately thought her "parents" did something to her. This sweet baby never had a chance.

 What kind of people go to dinner and leave thheir ADOPTED child home ALONE while they take their biological child? My gut feeling is that they knew Sherin was dead. My heart just hurts for this little girl and her short time on this earth and for her sister. 

The only bright side I see is that this happened in Texas -a death penalty state. So if convicted, either parents or both parents could be put to death. 

[Glasgowghirl]

Poor baby, I'm opposed to the death penalty but if they are found guilty and receive it. I will have zero sympathy for them. What sort of parent leaves one child at home alone while the other child gets taken out for dinner. If she was dead at the time it shows how heartless they both are.

[TXGirlInAMaterialWorld]

The story of the life this child lived just gets sadder by the day.  I have to wonder if she was still alive when they went out to dinner without her?

 If she was still alive, that brings up the question of whether or not she was truly treated as a family member?  And I agree that Sherin probably endured a lot in her short life- I hope that both parents get the punishment they deserve.   Who would leave a small child at home alone and then just go out to dinner?  

[Chicken bones]

I hadnt read before the injuroes she had suffered before..the broken bones.

http://www.wfaa.com/mobile/article/news/local/dallas-county/cps-hearing-underway-for-biological-daughter-of-sini-wesley-mathews/287-495535415