3-Year-Old Richardson Girl Still Missing; Father Arrested For Child Endangerment
RICHARDSON (CBSDFW.COM) - The disappearance of a three-year-old girl in Richardson could have started as punishment for not drinking her milk.
The new information is emerging as police release a report following yesterday's arrest of the little girl's father. Meanwhile, little Sherin Mathews is still missing. An Amber Alert was issued Saturday afternoon.
The report released by Richardson police is Wesley Mathew's version of events from early Saturday morning. Mathews told police he took his daughter outside their backyard at 3 a.m.
"Wesley Mathews said he directed his daughter to stand near a large tree... because she wouldn't drink her milk," says the report. "At approximately 3:15 a.m., he went back to the spot where he directed his daughter to stay and she was gone."
The report says Mathews showed police where he left the three-year-old, about 100 feet outside the family's backyard fence.
"Wesley Mathews later told [the detective] he knew coyotes had been seen in the alley where he left his daughter," says the report.
A neighbor who asked to not use his name says Wesley and his wife, who was interviewed by police but is home now, struggled to conceive. They finally gave birth to a little girl, who is a year older than Sherin. About a year and a half ago, the couple announced they adopted a little girl from India.
"They felt since God gave them that baby as a miracle baby, they could help another little one without a family out," said the neighbor.
With Sherin still missing, Richardson police flooded the neighborhood Sunday, asking neighbors for surveillance video. Yesterday, the family's van and two SUVs were towed by police.
The Mathews' church friends are doing their best to help, passing out fliers in the neighborhood. They wouldn't say how they are reconciling information put out by police and the man they went to church with.
"We, at this moment, we are not saying anything about that," said church member Jose Cherian. "We are not sure about anything. I don't want to say anything if we are not sure about it."
The Amber Alert that was issued for Sherin yesterday is still active. Her father is being held at the Richardson jail, charged with child endangerment.