Taking strong note of the mysterious death of 3-year-old Sherin Mathews in the US, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday requested Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi for an investigation into the adoption process of the girl child. Sherin’s body was found in a culvert in suburban Dallas in the US on October 7. Dallas police had claimed that her foster father had confessed that he left her body outside his home after Sherin choked to death while being force-fed milk.
Sushma tweeted, “After Baby Saraswati @ Sherin Mathews’ case, have requested Minister for Women and Child Development for a thorough investigation into the adoption process.”
She said the probe into the case should be taken to a logical conclusion and henceforth all passports for adopted children will be issued only after an approval from the Women and Child Development Ministry
Sherin’s father Wesley Mathews, 37, was re-arrested on Monday and charged with first-degree felony injury to a child due to conflicting statements given to police. He was earlier arrested for suspected child endangerment for the treatment of his daughter but was released on bond.
The nodal body for adoption in India, Child Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), too has written to US Central Authority for Hague Adoption seeking details into Sherin’s death, according to sources.
An official said that it received timely reports from the adoption agency in the US which was overseeing the Sherin Mathews case. Four reports were sent to CARA by Holt International since her adoption on July 8, 2016.
These reports described how the girl was “adjusting well” in her new home and appeared to be “secure and comfortable” in the new surroundings. However, according to these assessments, Sherin seemed to have eating problems.
One of the follow-ups records that “eating has become more and more challenging for the family”. “She likes to eat food outside but not at home,” it mentioned.
The girl was born on July 14, 2014 and was surrendered by parents in Gaya, Bihar. She was sent to an orphanage, Nalanda Mother Teresa Anaath Seva Ashram, which is now shut, the CARA CEO said.