Richardson girl buried in private ceremony, gravesite to remain undisclosed
A young Richardson girl was laid to rest on Tuesday in a private ceremony.
The gravesite of Sherin Mathews, 3, will remain secret due to the intense publicity surrounding her disappearance and death.
“Because of personal security concerns and threats of grave desecration, [Sherin’s family] have chosen to keep the burial location private as well. Sherin deserves that assurance of peace,” said the attorneys for Sini Mathews, Sherin’s mother.
Wesley Matthews, Sherin’s dad, remains the Dallas County jail on a charge with felony injury to a child. He first told detectives she disappeared after he left her by a tree as punishment at 3 a.m. because she wouldn’t drink her milk. After police found her body in a culvert near the family’s home, he told detectives he forced her to drink the milk and did nothing as she choked and died at the home. He also admitted to moving her body.
Sini Mathews said in a statement last week she had nothing to do with the death of her adopted special needs daughter and she has been cooperative with police. She has not been charged.
Tuesday’s burial service was “conducted according to the religious beliefs and the cultural heritage of her family” according to the mom’s lawyers.
“Because of the intense press and social media attention in this case, the family chose to keep the ceremony private so the focus could be on Sherin's future in Heaven and not on her tragic death on earth.”
Family members also said in the statement they appreciate the outpouring of love Sherin has received since she went missing and was later found.
The Dallas County medical examiner has not yet determined Sherin’s cause of death.