Sini Mathews, the mother of three-year-old Sherin Mathews who died under mysterious in a culvert in Texas in 2017, has been released from prison on Friday, March 1, with all charges of child endangerment against her dropped.
"After an extensive investigation it was found that the state cannot prove this matter beyond a reasonable doubt at this time," a motion filed by prosecutors read. It was signed by state District Judge Amber Givens-Davis.
"The Richardson Police Department ... conducted a thorough investigation of the Sherin Mathews case and developed sufficient probable cause to obtain an arrest warrant for Sini Mathews. While we are disappointed with this turn of events, we will continue to work with the Dallas County District Attorney's Office to ensure justice is done," the Richardson p[olice, which is investigating the case, said in a written statement.
Sini Mathews was sent to jail for 15 years when her adopted daughter Sherin was found dead a few days after the three-year-old was allegedly sent outside the house at 3 am for not drinking milk on October 7, 2017. When Sherin and her husband Wesley went out to bring her back, the little girl was missing. Her dead body was found on October 22, 2017, in a culvert, one kilometre away from the house. However, the cause of death could not be ascertained due to the level of decomposition of the body.
Sherin was adopted by Sini and Wesley from an orphanage in Bihar in 2016. They have another daughter who is biologically theirs.
Sini Matthews told the media gathered outside the court on Friday that she was blessed. "I want to thank the DA's office for dismissing the case and I am looking forward to being reunited with my daughter." She made these comments after the court hearing.
The case gained a lot of attention in India as well as the United States due to the uncertainty surrounding the sequence of events on a fateful day.
Wesley Mathews had changed his story while giving the statement and said the second time that he sent her out because she choked on her milk. He has been charged with capital murder and tampering of evidence.
