Sini Mathews, the adoptive mother of Sherin Mathews, 3, who was found dead near her Richardson, Texas home, obtained a reduction in her bond during a court hearing Monday. Sini was recently arrested and charged with child endangerment in connection with Sherin’s case.
Sini spent the Thanksgiving holiday in jail, but was successful in her quest to have her bond reduced by more than half. According to NBC 5 DFW , Dallas County Criminal District Court Judge Stephanie Fargo dropped the bond from $250,000 to $100,000. Along with that reduction, Sini is required to be under house arrest and wear an ankle monitor.
Because Richardson police argued Sini is a flight risk, Judge Fargo also ordered that she surrender her passport. Authorities say that prior to her arrest, Sini approached the family’s pediatrician for her biological daughter’s vaccination records so the girl could travel to India, NBC 5 DFW reported.
Sini is accused of leaving Sherin, 3, alone at home while she and her husband, Wesley Mathews, went out to dinner with their 4-year-old biological daughter. The outing reportedly took place on October 6, the night before Sherin was reported missing , according to the Dallas Morning News .
An arrest affidavit states that cell phone records obtained by police show that the Mathews were at the restaurant at the time indicated. Their restaurant receipt also indicates the family ordered just one child’s meal, which was confirmed by their server.
During an October 23 interview with police, Wesley also said the couple and their biological child left Sherin at home because she wouldn’t drink her milk and he became “impatient” with her, according to the Dallas Morning News . Wesley stated that Sini agreed to leave Sherin behind and was not “coerced” to do so. He said when they returned home about an hour later, Sherin was still in the kitchen.
The Mathews’ biological daughter was removed from the family’s custody by Child Protective Services shortly after the investigation into Sherin’s disappearance commenced. She is now in the custody and care of relatives. A custody hearing is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, November 29.
Wesley is also behind bars in police custody after being arrested almost a month ago in connection with Sherin’s death.
Sherin’s lifeless body was found by a cadaver dog on Sunday, October 22, in a culvert not far from her family’s home. Wesley, her adoptive father, was arrested the next day and charged with Injury to a Child, a first-degree felony for which he could face 5 to 99 years behind bars if convicted. He is being held on $1,000,000 bond.
The Dallas County medical examiner has yet to release Sherin’s cause of death.
An arrest affidavit for Wesley indicates he told police that on October 7, he and Sherin were in the garage of the family home where he was trying to get her to drink milk, which she ultimately did. He said he then “physically assisted” her as she drank, subsequently observing that she was choking, coughing, and breathing slowly. Wesley stated that “eventually” he couldn’t feel a pulse on Sherin and believed the little girl was dead. He also admitted moving her body from the family home.
Sherin was adopted by Mathews and his wife in the summer of 2016 from India.
Anyone with information about the Sherin Mathews case can contact the Richardson Police Department at 972-744-4800.
[Featured Image by the Richardson Police Department]
