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Richardson police have now determined the missing 3-year-old's family vehicle left the home hours before she was reported missing and just after the little girl was sent outside to an alley.
Police are asking any neighbors and nearby businesses to review surveillance footage in case they captured Wesley Mathews' 2013 maroon Acura MDX between the hours of 4 and 5 a.m. Saturday morning. The SUV had a license plate number BSV3263.
Sherin Mathews was last seen on Saturday by her father, Wesley, at 3 a.m. behind their home after he says he put her there as punishment. He was later arrested on a charge of child endangerment.
The family SUV was one of the three vehicles that were towed from the couple's home on Saturday. Police said Wesley told them he searched the area around the home for Sherin, but he never said he used a vehicle to do so.
Police have not said if Wesley admitted to driving the SUV Saturday morning of if investigators found out some other way.
Police have remained very tight-lipped about the investigation and have not said specifically what they're doing. Investigators have been following up on leads and are trying to piece together a timeline of events since the 3-year-old went missing.
It was all quiet on Thursday at the Richardson home were Sherin was reported missing. Police say they're thankful neighbors have been helpful with surveillance cameras.
"We've got a lot of folks that live in that neighborhood who have come forward to us offering up some of the videos they have,” said Richardson Police Sgt. Evin Perlich.
While there are no obvious searches going on, investigators are working behind the scenes through evidence gathered from the home Tuesday night by FBI agents.
"Right now, we're going through all that,” Perlich explained. “And we are hopeful that we will get some type of lead or some type of development that'll put us in the right direction."
Investigators are not releasing a great deal of information, but they continue to examine the three family vehicles they towed away on Saturday.
"We are expanding our investigation to go out further from the home, trying to get some type of a lead on the vehicles or anything,” Perlich said.
Wesley told investigators he left Sherin, his adopted daughter, alone behind the house by a tree Saturday morning. He said it was the 3-year-old’s punishment for not drinking her milk.
The 37-year-old father was arrested Saturday morning for child abandonment. He's currently free on a $250,000 bond.
"We just ask that people remain patient on this. It's going to take us a little while to get through the electronic stuff we collected,” Perlich said. “We do have a lot of information to go through, and we are confident we will be able to get something from this that will bring us to a resolution."
Neighbors and strangers started a makeshift tribute for Sherin by the tree where she was reportedly left. People have left flowers, teddy bears and other items to honor the little girl. A vigil is planned at the tribute site on Friday beginning at 7 p.m.
Both parents have hired separate attorneys. Sherin’s mother, Sini Mathews, spoke through her attorney on Wednesday and said she still hopes for her daughter’s return. She is not facing any charges at this time.
Police say the parents are no longer cooperating with the investigation.
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