Father admits to getting rid of missing 3-year-old daughter’s body, police say

Wesley Mathews had said that he made his adopted daughter Sherin Mathews stand outside near a tree at 3 a.m. as punishment more than two weeks ago for not drinking her milk, and that she disappeared, CNN reported. Mathews had said that coyotes had been seen in the alley where he left her.

Over the weekend, officials found a child's body in a culvert near the Matthews home. It was confirmed Tuesday that it was the little girl's remains that were found, CNN reported.

During an interview with police, Matthews said that he had been trying to get her to drink the milk as the two stood were in the garage on Oct. 7, but she wouldn't listen to him, police said. Eventually, Mathews said she started to drink the milk after he "physically assisted" her with drinking. Sherin started to choke and was coughing, Matthews said, adding that her breathing then began to slow. When Mathews didn't feel a pulse, he said he thought she was dead. Mathews admitted to removing his adopted daughter's body from the house, the police affidavit said. He recounted what happened Monday afternoon after Sherin's body had been found, according to police affidavit. He, along with his attorney, had asked to speak to police, The Washington Post reported.

Mathews has been charged with injury to a child, which is a first-degree felony and is punishable by up to life in prison, The Washington Post reported. He's being held on $1 million bond.

Mathews had previously been arrested in connection with Sherin's disappearance. He previously had been charged with child abandonment and endangerment the day she was reported missing, but had been released on bail, the Dallas Morning News reported.

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