In a new twist in the Sherin Mathews\u2019 case, U.S. Child Protection authorities have said they have found \u201cinsufficient evidence\u201d to confirm that the deceased 3-year-old Indian girl was physically abused by her adoptive parents and blamed \u201can unknown perpetrator\u201d for her injuries, prior to her adoption.<\/p>\n
Sherin was found dead in mysterious circumstances in a culvert in Richardson, in suburban Dallas, Texas, Oct. 22, two weeks after her Indian American foster parents reported her missing. Her decomposed body was found by a cadaver dog.<\/p>\n
Her adoptive father, Wesley Mathews originally told police he had left Sherin outside the home at 3 am to punish her for not drinking her milk. Then he changed his statement and said Sherin had choked on her milk while he tried to feed her in the garage.<\/p>\n
He also admitted the family had gone out to dinner that night and left Sherin home alone.<\/p>\n
An autopsy report released in January this year revealed that Sherin died of \u201chomicidal violence.\u201d<\/p>\n
The couple from Kerala had adopted Sherin from an orphanage in Bihar in 2016.<\/p>\n
Wesley was indicted on charges of capital murder and tampering with evidence. He now faces life in prison or the death penalty.<\/p>\n
His wife, Sini was indicted on a charge of abandoning a child, which holds a punishment that ranges from two to 20 years in prison with a fine up to $10,000.<\/p>\n
A Child Protective Services (CPS) report released May 15 detailed the agency\u2019s investigation into allegation that Sherin\u2019s adoptive parents abused her months before she died, WFAA, an ABC-affiliated television station reported.<\/p>\n
The report detailed a CPS investigation from March 2017.<\/p>\n
The CPS said it found \u201cinsufficient evidence to determine if the deceased child was physically abused by her mother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAn unknown perpetrator was confirmed for the physical abuse…which may have happened prior to her adoption,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe allegation of physical neglect of the deceased child by her parents was not confirmed,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
Dr. Suzanne Dakil, a pediatrician, testified during a custody hearing for Sherin\u2019s sister had said that she was the one who called the CPS in March last year with concerns that Sherin was being abused by her parents.<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried, actually, very hard to find another good explanation, and I didn\u2019t have one,\u201d the doctor said in court, noting that she concluded Sherin\u2019s injuries had occurred after her time in India.<\/p>\n
Dakil\u2019s clinic in Dallas had been treating Sherin for her weight problems, the Dallas Morning News reported.<\/p>\n
Sherin was been hospitalized in February 2017 after her adoptive mother \u201cnoticed swelling around [Sherin\u2019s] right shoulder,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
Sini reported that Sherin had fallen on a slide at the park, the report said. Doctors diagnosed Sherin with a skin infection and fractures on her shoulders, and X-rays revealed a previous injury, a fracture of her left leg, the report said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were concerns that the child\u2019s injuries were not consistent with the explanation given and that the child had been physically abused,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
The CPS interviewed Sherin\u2019s parents, who \u201cdenied harming the child,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
Sini said she had taken Sherin to a park, where she fell and her mother tried to grab her arm to break the fall.<\/p>\n
Wesley told investigators that Sherin slipped and fell while on monkey bars at the park, the report said.<\/p>\n
When asked about Sherin\u2019s previous arm fracture, Sini told CPS officials that Sherin fell while jumping on the couch with her sibling, the report said.<\/p>\n
The CPS contacted medical officials, who \u201cstated there were no concerns about the previous injury because the story was consistent with the child falling off the couch.\u201d<\/p>\n
The medical officials said the fractures in Sherin\u2019s shoulder injury were \u201cquestionable,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
The report said \u201calthough there were no concerns regarding the child\u2019s previous injuries, the new injuries were not consistent with the explanation given.\u201d<\/p>\n
The issue of Sherin\u2019s weight was also raised in the investigation.<\/p>\n
Both parents said Sherin had health problems when they adopted her from India, including being underweight.<\/p>\n
Doctors who had treated Sherin \u201cdenied having concerns about abuse and neglect while the child was with her adoptive parents\u201d and that Sherin \u201cwas in better health and at a better weight following her adoption,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
Law enforcement authorities investigated the report but did not file charges.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In a new twist in the Sherin Mathews\u2019 case, U.S. Child Protection authorities have said they have found \u201cinsufficient evidence\u201d to confirm that the deceased 3-year-old Indian girl was physically abused by her adoptive parents and blamed \u201can unknown perpetrator\u201d for her injuries, prior to her adoption. Sherin was found dead in mysterious circumstances in…<\/p>\n