A special needs toddler from Richardson is still missing.
Sherin Mathews was reportedly last seen by her father, 37-year-old Wesley Mathews, early Saturday morning.
Richardson police released more details about the timeline the 3-year-old girl’s father provided police about what he did in the hours after his daughter vanished.
At 3:15 a.m., Mathews said he walked outside and realized his daughter was not standing at the tree where he told her to stand about 15 minutes before. He reportedly punished the girl for not drinking her milk.
Mathews then set out to look for her, according to Sgt. Kevin Perlich of the Richardson Police Department. He returned home, hoping the girl would find her way back home on her own, according to Perlich.
Mathews also thought he would have better luck in finding the three-year-old in the daylight.
Then, according to what Mathews told police, he did a load of laundry before calling 911 at 8:12 a.m.
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Police said they will not be releasing the audio of Mathews making the 911 call, as it is part of the ongoing investigation.
The girl’s mother was reportedly asleep during the incident, according to the investigation. She is not facing charges at this time.
The case of missing Sherin Mathews has touched many people in the community. Many people have volunteered since an Amber Alert was sent out Saturday afternoon. The alert was discontinued on Monday because of a lack of leads, according to police.
“It’s a little girl. It should matter to everyone,” said Casey Urqhart of Garland.
The young man drove up to the family’s home in the 900 block of Sunningdale with a key used to lift water main lids.
“I just saw her on the news and learned about yesterday that she was left outside in the middle of the night and I wanted to come out and see if I could help,” said Urqhart.
Ordinary citizens, along with police officers and agents with the FBI, US Marshals Office, have been leaving nothing unturned in the search for the special needs girl.
Police have canvassed the area where Mathews said he last saw his daughter, looked inside the family’s house and around the Richland Meadows Neighborhood for any sign of the child.
Urqhart set his eyes on storm drains and holes potentially large enough for the 22-pound, 3-foot toddler to fit into.
“If she was left out there and just wandered around because like I said I climbed down those when I was a kid,” he said.
It wasn’t a kid, but rather an adult who climbed in today.
“It’s not that deep in here,” said Jamal Williams as he slid into a storm drain with the help of Urqhart. “It’s about a four foot tunnel.”
Williams did not hesitate to help.
“Just came by, it was my lunch break and I said: Let me just drive around real quick and see if I see anything,” said Williams.
He has two babies of his own.
“It just kind of hit pretty hard so I just wanted to drive around,” he said.
Two strangers came together Tuesday afternoon for a little girl who’s touched their hearts.
“I just hope she’s found safe,” said Urqhart. “It’s been four days so I hope she’s alright.”
Police say there’s no evidence the toddler was abducted. They have expanded the search beyond the neighborhood. Detectives have been checking registered sex offenders in the area.
There is a possible motive for the father’s insistence in the girl drinking milk. The Mathews adopted Sherin two years ago from an orphanage in India. The girl was reportedly malnourished, according to police, and her adoptive parents had been trying to put weight on her and would feed her at what some may consider odd times of the day.
Sherin Mathews was last seen wearing a pink top, black pajama bottoms and pink flip flops.
If you have any information about this case or have seen the child, you are urged to call 911.
