Sherin Mathews, a 3-year-old Indian girl who was found dead in a culvert in Dallas after being reported missing by her Indian-American foster father, had a series of broken bones and injuries in various stages of healing, a doctor testified before the court.
Sherin, reported missing on October 7, was found dead in a culvert about 1 km from her home in suburban Dallas on October 22 by a cadaver dog during a massive search for the missing toddler.
The Richardson Police Department and the FBI continue to investigate the toddler's death. The cause of death has not yet been determined by the medical examiner's office. She was adopted by the Indian-American couple, Wesley and Sini Mathews, from an orphanage in India last year. Her adoptive parents lost custody of their biological child after Sherin went missing.
Her parents appeared before a court yesterday for a long Child Protective Services (CPS) custody hearing about their biological daughter, currently living with relatives in the Houston-area.
The couple was dressed in plain clothes, but both were shackled to their waist and did not speak to each other.
Assistant District Attorney Denise Hale asked both Sini and then Wesley a series of questions about Sherin, her health throughout his year and the circumstances surrounding her death.Wesley, 37, was brought to the courthouse in a van. He is expected to either surrender his parental rights for his 3- year-old daughter or have them terminated by the state. Sini, who aims to regain custody of her biological daughter sought right to visit her.
Sini took to the witness stand first, but invoked her fifth amendment right not to incriminate herself many times during questioning.