Sherin Mathews' foster father charged with capital murder in US

Sherin's foster mother, 35-year-old Sini Mathews, was also indicted on a charge of abandoning a child. The punishment for that ranges from two to 20 years in prison with a fine up to USD 10,000.

The father of Sherin Mathews, a 3-year-old Indian girl whose body was found near their suburban Dallas home less than a year after she was adopted from an Indian orphanage, was today indicted for capital murder by a grand jury. 

Sherin's foster mother, 35-year-old Sini Mathews, was also indicted on a charge of abandoning a child. The punishment for that ranges from two to 20 years in prison with a fine up to USD 10,000. 

"We can't go into details, but based on that autopsy report, we were able to determine that we can seek capital murder for this case," Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson said at a news conference announcing the indictment. 

Dallas County court records show Sherin's adoptive father, 37-year-old Wesley Mathews, also faces charges of abandoning a child and tampering with evidence. 

The fate of the couple's 4-year-old biological daughter is still being decided with another child protective services (CPS) hearing scheduled for the end of this month. They can either forfeit their parental rights, or the court will decide to schedule a civil trial to possibly terminate their rights. 

Sherin, reported missing on October 7, was found dead in a culvert about 1 km from her home on October 22 by a cadaver dog during a massive search for the missing toddler

Wesley had initially told police that Sherin disappeared overnight after he ordered her to stand outside at about 3 am for not drinking her milk. When he returned, Wesley said she had disappeared and that her location was unknown. 

In a press conference, Dallas County District Attorney (DA) Faith Johnson thanked Richardson Police Department for its work on the Sherin Mathews case. 

She also hailed India's Consul-General in Houston Anupam Ray for his assistance in the case. 

"...I also want to thank the Consul General of India, Anupam Ray, for his assistance as we move forward. Sadly, Sherin appears to be one of the many abused and neglected children in Texas. We are committed to continue our diligent and steadfast efforts to seek justice on their behalf," Johnson said. 

The DA said it's now up to law enforcement to find justice for Sherin.