Girl Goes Missing After Father Sends Her Outside for Not Finishing Milk

Sherin Mathews (Richardson Police Department)

A Texas girl who was sent outside by her father as punishment for not drinking her milk is still missing---two days later, police said.

The Richardson Police Department said Saturday that the 3-year-old girl, Sherin Mathews, was seen last by her father in the family’s backyard in Sunningdale at 3 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

The girl is developmentally disabled with limited communication skills. She was told by her father, Wesley Matthews, to stand near a tree next to their home for not finishing her milk.

He returned 15 minutes to check on the child but she was missing, the Houston Chronicle reported.

He didn’t call to report the child missing for five hours, Sgt. Kevin Perlich told the Houston Chronicle.

According to a Facebook post by the police department, the girl is still missing.

Matthews, 37, was arrested and charged with abandoning and endangering a child. He was released Saturday after posting $250,000 bond.

Matthews’ 4-year-old was placed in foster care, the Dallas News reported.

“Why was the last sighting at 3 o'clock and the parents not call us until after 8 a.m., that’s the question we want answered as well,” Perlich was quoted as saying by the NBC 5. “As far as why she was out there, how long she was out there, that’s the questions we have for the parents.”

Jose Cherian and others from Emmanuel Bible Chapel helped search a field, adding Matthews and his wife are good parents.

“The parents are also loving, they loved Sherin very much,” he said. “They take care of her very much.”

Police said in a statement about the girl:

“We are currently looking for a 3-year-old child. Sherin Mathews was last seen by her father outside the family’s backyard in the 900 blk. of Sunningdale. She is approximately 36” tall and weighs about 22 pounds. She suffers from developmental issues and has limited verbal communication skills. She was last seen wearing a pink top, black pajama bottoms and pink flip-flops. If anyone has any information on her whereabouts, they are asked to contact us at 972-744-4800.”