Nearly a week after charges against Indian American Sini Mathews, foster mother of Sherin Mathews was dropped, she received her passport back.
Sini Mathews was charged in connection with the tragic death of her 3-year-old adopted daughter Sherin Mathews, whose body was found in a culvert in suburban Dallas in 2017.
Sini Mathews was charged with child endangerment after she left Sherin alone at home while she and her husband Wesley Mathews went out for dinner with their 4-four-year old biological daughter on the night before the toddler was reported missing from their house in Richardson, Texas.
Sini had been jailed on a child abandonment charge, but the charge was dismissed after the district attorney said there was not enough evidence to move forward and released her from the Dallas County Jail.
On Thursday, a Dallas judge ordered authorities to return Sini's passport, WBAP, an AM News/Talk radio station in Dallas reported.
Defense attorney Heath Harris said the judge had little choice but to return the passport which was taken when Sini was arrested. He said Sini had no plans to go anywhere but can do so if she chooses so.
Soon after charges were dropped against Sini, she said: "I am blessed." she further said she was looking forward to meeting her biological daughter.
"I want to thank the DA's office for dismissing the case and I am looking forward to being reunited with my daughter," Sini said.
She had lost parental rights to her biological daughter who has been adopted by her relatives in Houston. Attorneys are now reviewing options to possibly return her to her mother, Sini, the WBAP report said.
Sini's husband Wesley is still in Dallas County Jail for capital murder linked to Sherin's death. He will face trial in May this year and is presently being held on a USD 1.1 million bond.
Kerala-origin Sini and Wesley adopted Sherin from an orphanage in Bihar in July 2016. After Sherin disappeared, Wesley had first claimed that he had punished her by making her stand outside their home at 3 a.m. for not drinking her milk.
After Sherin's body was found in a culvert a kilometer from their home in October 2017, Wesley then changed his version saying he had tried to feed her the milk and that she choked on it.
Wesley was charged for capital murder by a grand jury and for tampering with evidence. Wesley, if convicted, could face the death penalty or an automatic sentence of life without parole.
According to an autopsy report in January 2014, Sherin died of homicidal violence.
Sherin's case had drawn international attention and the Indian government had revoked the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) immigration status of the couple.
By Sowmya Sangam
