Sherin Mathews Update: Father Arrested After Changing Statement In Missing Toddler’s Case

The father of missing 3-year-old Texas girl Sherin Mathews was arrested Monday after body of a child was found by detectives close to their home.

Wesley Mathews, the girl's father, earlier charged with abandoning and endangering the child, has now been charged with first-degree felony injury to a child.

"This afternoon, Wesley Mathews was arrested and charged with Injury to a Child (TPC 22.04), a first-degree felony punishable by life or from 5 to 99 years in prison. Mr. Mathews voluntarily arrived at the Richardson Police Station with his attorney and asked to speak with detectives. He provided an alternate statement of events from those which he had given previously, regarding the disappearance of Sherin," Richardson police department said in a press statement Monday.

Wesley is currently in the Richardson City Jail and his bond has been set at $1,000,000. Earlier he was arrested after Sherin went missing, but was released after posting a $250,000 bond.

The charge of the first-degree felony injury to the child carries a possible life sentence in prison, the police said, adding that more evidence could modify the charges against him. Authorities did not reveal the changes in Wesley's statement. According to multiple reports, there were no charges against Sini Mathews, Sherin's mother.

Sherin went missing Oct. 7 after her father put the child outside in the middle of the night near a tree about 100 feet from their home as punishment for not drinking milk. When he returned, he found that his daughter — who he had adopted from an Indian orphanage — was missing. Despite learning about the disappearance minutes after leaving his daughter outside, the father waited for nearly five hours before informing authorities.

Wesley told police he was busy doing laundry after he punished his daughter to stand outside. He said he went to check on her 15 minutes later but found that she was missing. Sherin’s mother was reportedly sleeping throughout the night Sherin disappeared.

Wesley hinted at a coyote attack, but police said there was no evidence to show she was dragged away by an animal nor was there any evidence she had been kidnapped.

Earlier Monday, both Wesley and his wife Sini appeared in court separately, in a case related to the custody of their elder daughter, who was removed by the Child Protection Services (CPS) soon after Sherin's disappearance.

Last week, police seized several items from Wesley's house and also collected DNA swabs from their vehicles. Agents seized some 45 articles, including the family's washer and dryer, a blanket, vacuum cleaner and cell phones.

"We have found some articles that are of interest to us," Richardson Police Sgt. Kevin Perlich told CBS owned KTVT at the time. "Whether or not they turn out to be evidence, in this case, remains to be determined."

While the investigation into Sherin's missing case continues, the body found by the authorities in a culvert, less than one mile from her home, is most likely of the missing toddler. An official identification has not yet been made, nor has the cause of the death been released.