Almost three months after three-year-old Indian girl Sherin Mathews was first reported missing in the US, a court Friday charged her adoptive father, Wesley Mathews, with murder.
Timeline of the events in the chilling case
October 7, 2017: Sherin Mathews, who had developmental issues and limited verbal communication skills, was last seen outside her family's backyard in Richardson city in Texas
• According to the first statement of Wesley Mathews, Sherin's foster father, she went missing after he upbraided her and sent her alone outside later at night as a punishment for not finishing her cup of milk. Some 15 minutes later, he went to check on Sherin but did not find her.
• Wesley Mathews arrested on the charges of abandoning or endangering a child
October 8, 2017: Wesley Mathews released from custody after posting $2.5 lakh (Rs 1.62 crore) bond.
October 9, 2017: Biological daughter of the Keralite couple Wesley and Sini Mathews removed from their home and placed in protective custody.
October 22, 2017: A body recovered from a culvert in Richardson
Oct 24, 2017: Authorities confirm the body was that of the missing 3-year-old girl
Oct 24, 2017: Wesley and Sini attended hearing at a Dallas County court to determine whether they could regain custody of their four-year-old biological daughter.
Oct 25, 2017: Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj seeks probe into the adoption process of Sherin Mathews
October 31, 2017: Sherin Mathews laid to rest at an undisclosed location
November 16, 2017: Sini Mathews arrested by Richardson police in Texas
November 20, 2017: The couple's four-year-old biological daughter moved out of foster care and put under the care of a relative.
November 29, 2017: A doctor testified before the court that Sherin had a series of broken bones and injuries
December 10, 2017: Sherin Mathews' gravesite in Dallas made public – it is located in the southwest portion of the cemetery at the Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Dallas, Texas.
January 7, 2018: Indian govt suspends US adoption agency
January 12, 2018: Wesley Mathews charged with murder
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