The Indian-American foster father of 3-year-old Sherin Mathews, sentenced to life in connection with the death of the toddler whose body was found in a culvert in 2017, has started serving the jail term in a state prison, days after he filed an appeal for a fresh trial.
Wesley Mathews, 39, was transferred from Dallas County Jail to a state prison around 12:58 am on Thursday to serve his life sentence, Dallas County Sheriff officials said.
In a case that attracted much international attention, Mathews pleaded guilty on June 24 to a lesser charge of injury to a child in Sherin’s tragic death.
He was originally charged with capital murder by authorities in the US state of Texas after they discovered Sherin’s highly decomposed body after a massive search that lasted 15 days. A Dallas County jury heard the case in June and Mathews was sentenced to life in prison on June 26 in Sherin’s death. He will be eligible for parole after 30 years’ imprisonment, US media reported in June. Last week, Mathews’ attorney confirmed he is appealing the sentence and his attorney also filed a motion for a new trial.