Sherin Mathews Update: Police warn family SUV may have played part in little girl’s disappearance

New information emerged on Thursday in the case of the missing Texas girl who vanished after her dad supposedly put her outside at 3 a.m. for not drinking her milk.

Sherin Mathews, 3, disappeared from her family home in Richardson after her father, Wesley Mathews, 37, claimed he made her stand outside by a tree at 3 a.m. on Oct. 7, because the child refused to drink her milk earlier in the the evening. Wesley said he checked on her 15 minutes later but she was nowhere in site. Police subsequently arrested Mathews and charged him with “abandoning or endangering a child.” He has since bailed out of jail.

The Richardson Police Department reports that the family’s maroon 2013 Acura MDX left the home off of 900 block of Sunningdale at sometime between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Oct. 7, which may provide clues as to where the little girl is. Mathews didn’t report the little girl missing until five hours after he allegedly made her stand outside.

Update on Missing Child – Sherin Mathews:We have information that the Mathews' 2013 maroon Acura MDX SUV was absent…

Posted by Richardson Police Department on Thursday, October 12, 2017

 

Authorities are now hoping that a business or anyone with surveillance cameras within a 30 mile range of the Mathews’ home caught the vehicle on footage.

Sherin was adopted from India around two years ago by the Mathews family. Police report that she is small for her age, malnourished, and has developmental issues which limits her verbal communication skills. She’s also small for her age, standing around three feet tall and weighing 22 pounds.

Timeline on the Disappearance of Sherin Mathews


October 7

Texas authorities issued an AMBER Alert for a 3-year-old girl, said to be in grave danger.

ABC13 reports Sherin Mathews, 3, disappeared from the 900 block of Sunningdale at around 3 a.m. on Saturday, in Richardson. She was last seen wearing black pajama bottoms and a pink shirt.

Sherin weighs approximately 22 pounds and stands three feet tall. She is Indian, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. She has developmental issues with limited communication skills.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact the Richardson Police Department at 972-744-4801 immediately.


October 9 

New details are emerging in the case of a 3-year-old little girl in Richardson, Texas, who disappeared at around 3 a.m. on Saturday. Authorities broadcast an AMBER Alert on the child on Saturday morning when she vanished from her backyard.

NBC 11Alive reports that Wesley Mathews reportedly put his daughter, Sherin Mathews, in the family home’s backyard as a form of punishment when she refused to drink her milk earlier that evening. Police said that Mathews claimed he checked on his daughter around 15 minutes later and she was gone. The little girl disappeared from the 900 block of Sunningdale wearing black pajama bottoms, black flip flops, and a pink shirt.

According to a police affidavit, Mathews said he spotted coyotes in the alley close to the family home, yet, he decides to wait five hours before calling for help. Authorities arrested Mathews on Saturday and charged him with “abandoning or endangering a child.”

Meanwhile, Sgt. Kevin Perlich reported that dogs walked door to door in the neighborhood, trying to track the little girl. So far, authorities have no leads.

“We’re trying to pick up any type of scent, or items of clothing, or anything like that, that might give us a clue she was there,” said Perlich.

Sherin, who stands 36 inches tall and weighs about 22 pounds, is a special needs child with limited verbal communication.

Police are looking for any evidence they can. They towed in the family’s two SUV and a minivan, in search “potential evidence.”

Anyone with any information is urged to call 972-744-4801.


October 10

Authorities in Texas canceled an AMBER Alert for a 3-year-old special needs girl after failing to obtain a suspect or vehicle information connected to her disappearance. The little girl vanished on Saturday, leaving no clues aside from her father’s disturbing account of what happened the night before she disappeared.

Mathews, 37, told police that he put his daughter in the back yard after she refused to drink her milk earlier that evening. He claimed that he checked on her 15 minutes later but she was nowhere in site. Police subsequently arrested Mathews and charged him with “abandoning or endangering a child.”

Wesley bonded out of jail on Sunday evening, according to court records.

According to the affidavit, Wesley didn’t call 911 to report his daughter missing until after five hours after the fact. Further, he allegedly claimed he saw coyotes in the alley close to him home, but detectives found no evidence that an animal dragged Sherin away.

That does not seem like a normal response that one would do if you have a missing child,” Sgt. Kevin Perch said, referring to the father’s delay in contacting authorities.

Family members said that the Wesleys are a “nice family” and are in shock over the disappearance of their daughter.

“They’re nice people. The parents are believers in Christ,” Philip Mathew, Sherin’s great-uncle, told NBC. “I don’t know what happened.”

Investigators seized three vehicles, cellphones, and laptops from the Wesley’s home, in an attempt to gather information that could possibly lead them to the girl. Authorities haven’t yet indicated what, if anything, was found.

Texas Child Protective Services (CPS) removed another child, a 4-year-old, from the Wesley home on early Monday morning. CPS spokeswoman, Marissa Gonzales, indicated that the agency dealt with the family before, but she declined to described why.

CBS DFW reports that the Wesleys are no longer cooperating with law enforcement. They recently hired an attorney to represent them.

Sherin stands 3 feet tall and weighs around 22 pounds. She was last seen wearing black leggings, a pink shirt and pink flip-flops. According to investigators, Sherin “suffers from developmental issues and has limited verbal communication skills.” Anyone with any information should call 972-744-4800.

[Feature Photo: Police Handout]