3yearold Sherin had broken bones and injuries, doctor tells US court

HOUSTON: Sherin Mathews, the 3-year-old Indian girl who was found dead in a culvert after being reported missing by her foster father, had a series of broken bones and injuries in various stages of healing, a doctor testified before the court.

Sherin, reported missing on October 7, was found dead in a culvert about 1 km from her home in suburban Dallas on October 22. Her autopsy report is still awaited. She was adopted by the Indian-American couple, Wesley and Sini Mathews, from an orphan age in India last year. Her adoptive parents lost custody of their biological child after Sherin went missing.

Her parents appeared before a court on Wednesday for a Child Protective Services (CPS) custody hearing about their biological daughter, currently living in the Houston-area. Wesley was brought to the courthouse in a van. He is expected to either surrender his parental rights for his 3- year-old daughter or have them terminated by the state.

Sini, who aims to regain custody of her biological daughter soughtright to visither. Sinitook to the witness stand first, but invoked her fifth amendment right not to incriminate herself many times during questioning. One exception came when she was asked ifs heist rained a nurse —to which she responded ,“yes ”.

When Wesley took the stand, he opted to invoke his fifth amendment right as well and answered no questions pertaining to Sherin’s death or disappearance. Prosecution pressed Sini about the previous CPS involvement, alleging Sheri nearlier had a broken femur, elbow andtibia, butshedidnot confirm the allegations.