Texas man pleads guilty to lesser charge in daughter’s death

DALLAS (AP) — A Texas man who was accused of killing his adopted daughter has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge the day his trial for capital murder was scheduled to begin.

The Dallas Morning News reports Monday that Wesley Mathews, 39, pleaded guilty to injury to a child by omission, which gives Mathews the chance for a lighter sentence than if he’d been found guilty of capital murder.

Mathews reported to police in October 2017 that his daughter was missing. The body of 3-year-old Sherin Mathews was found about two weeks later in a culvert near their Richardson home.

Mathews was indicted in January in Sherin’s death. In March, prosecutors dropped a child-abandonment charge against Sherin’s mother, Sini Mathews.

Mathews’ sentencing began Monday after the guilty plea.