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DALLAS - The mother of 3-year-old Sherin Mathews may get out of jail after having her bond reduced.
Sini Mathews showed no emotion on Monday when the judge lowered her bond from $250,000 to $100,000. She was arrested and charged with endangering a child after police determined she left her adopted daughter home alone on the night before she was reported missing.
The little girl's body was later found in a culvert not far from the family’s home. Her adoptive father, Wesley Mathews, then told police she died while choking on milk that he forced her to drink. He admitted moving her body.
During the hearing, prosecutors called her a flight risk and strongly argued against the reduction. The lead detective in the case testified she asked her pediatrician for shot records so she and her biological 4-year-old daughter could go to India.
But Mathews’ attorney said that was a mistake. He said although she did inquire about shot records, she did not make any arrangements to leave the country and has already surrendered her passport.
"There has been no evidence of preparation to leave, plane tickets being bought or any other arrangements being made. The thought this woman who was a nurse and mother could obtain a fake passport is a bit ridiculous," said Mitch Nolte, Mathews' attorney.
In closing, First Assistant District Attorney Mike Snipes urged the judge not to lower Mathews' bond. He said the facts of the case show her “depravity of heart.”
"The facts that are contained in the affidavit show that this woman is wicked enough to leave... at a minimum to leave a 3-year-old girl alone in her house while she and her husband go out to dinner," he said.
In the end, the judge did not agree and decided to reduce Mathews' bond by more than half the amount. Her attorney said they were still discussing whether she would bond out, even with the massive reduction.
"We're happy the judge reduced the bond, we hoped it would be a little less. It's reasonable," Nolte said.
The judge will require her to be under house arrest with an ankle monitor.
Wesley Mathews remains in jail charged with injury to a child.
The couple's 4-year-old daughter is now living with relatives near Houston. Prosecutors are working to take away Sini's visitation rights for the child. That could happen at a hearing later this week.