Wesley Mathews. Richardson Texas Police Department via AP
Wesley Mathews. Richardson Texas Police Department via AP
Wesley Mathews. Richardson Texas Police Department via AP
Wesley Mathews. Richardson Texas Police Department via AP

Texas girl, 3, missing after father makes her stand outside in middle of the night as punishment


  • English
  • Arabic

Authorities in Texas were searching for a 3-year-old girl whose father said she went missing over the weekend after he made her stand outside in the middle of the night as punishment for not drinking her milk.

Wesley Mathews, 37, said he ordered Sherin Mathews to stand next to a tree behind the fence at their  home in Richardson, Dallas, at around 3am on Saturday, according to an arrest statement. The tree is across an alley from the home.

Mr Mathews went outside about 15 minutes later to check on her, but Sherin was gone, the statement read. The child, who has a developmental disability, was wearing leggings, a pink long-sleeved shirt and pink flip-flops.

The father did not notify police that his daughter was missing until about five hours later, said Sgt Kevin Perlich.

He said the delay in reporting the matter "is certainly concerning to us".

"That does not seem like a normal response that one would do if you have a missing child," Sgt Perlich said.

Mr Mathews was arrested on Saturday on a charge of abandoning or endangering a child. He made bail late on Sunday, according to Sgt Perlich.

A working phone number for Mr Mathews could not be found and it's not clear if he's hired an attorney to speak on his behalf.

Mr Mathews at one point told investigators that coyotes have been seen in the alley, but investigators say there's no indication that one might have dragged the girl away.

Investigators have seized three vehicles, cellphones and laptops from the family in an effort to find out what became of Sherin, Sgt Perlich said. Footage from surveillance cameras in the area also is being reviewed.

Texas state child protective services (CPS) removed a four-year-old child from the home early on Monday, he said. A CPS spokeswoman, Marissa Gonzales, said the agency has had dealings with the family before, but she declined to release additional information.

Sgt Perlich said Mr Mathews and his wife adopted Sherin, who was malnourished when the couple took her in.

Mr Mathews told investigators it was not unusual for the girl to wake up late at night to eat so that her weight would increase, Sgt Perlich said.

That may explain why she was punished at 3am, he said. He said authorities are casting a broad net in determining what happened to the girl.

"We don't have any other indication or evidence that she was forcibly abducted from that area," he said.

* Associated Press

THE SPECS

2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE

Engine: 1.8 litre combined with 16-volt electric motors

Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode

Power: 121hp

Torque: 142Nm

Price: Dh95,900

The specs

Engine: 5.0-litre V8

Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm

Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: L/100km

Price: Dh306,495

On sale: now

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Kanye%20West
%3Cp%3EYe%20%E2%80%94%20the%20rapper%20formerly%20known%20as%20Kanye%20West%20%E2%80%94%20has%20seen%20his%20net%20worth%20fall%20to%20%24400%20million%20in%20recent%20weeks.%20That%E2%80%99s%20a%20precipitous%20drop%20from%20Bloomberg%E2%80%99s%20estimates%20of%20%246.8%20billion%20at%20the%20end%20of%202021.%3Cbr%3EYe%E2%80%99s%20wealth%20plunged%20after%20business%20partners%2C%20including%20Adidas%2C%20severed%20ties%20with%20him%20on%20the%20back%20of%20anti-Semitic%20remarks%20earlier%20this%20year.%3Cbr%3EWest%E2%80%99s%20present%20net%20worth%20derives%20from%20cash%2C%20his%20music%2C%20real%20estate%20and%20a%20stake%20in%20former%20wife%20Kim%20Kardashian%E2%80%99s%20shapewear%20firm%2C%20Skims.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Subscribe to Beyond the Headlines
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now