Mother who told relatives she sold her presumed-dead 6-year-old arrested years after fleeing the country: Feds

A hard-sought Texas fugitive has been brought to justness aft years connected the run, FBI Director Kash Patel announced connected Wednesday.

Cindy Rodriguez Singh, 40, is the parent of Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez, a 6-year-old disabled lad from the Fort Worth suburb of Everman, who disappeared without a trace successful the autumn of 2022. The child, who was past seen live successful October of that year, has agelong been presumed dead.

"Singh is wanted connected authorities charges of sidesplitting her six-year-old son," Patel said successful a post connected X (formerly Twitter). "She volition look charges of Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution and Capital Murder of a idiosyncratic nether 10 years of age."

The apprehension comes less than 1 month aft Singh was added to the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" database – becoming the 537th idiosyncratic to ever gain that ignominious distinction.

Patel did not accidental erstwhile oregon wherever the long-gone suspect was yet arrested. Singh has wide been presumed to beryllium hiding retired determination abroad, astir apt India, owed to the publically known details of her family's planetary departure backmost successful March 2023.

The FBI manager did say, however, that authorities judge the accused "has not been backmost to the United States since" the formation to India.

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Since November 2022, assorted witnesses told instrumentality enforcement versions of stories — ever sourced to Noel's parent — purporting to relationship for the beloved and troubled small boy's whereabouts. Those accounts and concerns enactment the Singh household connected instrumentality enforcement radar. But charges were not filed until overmuch later.

Then the household near the country.

Law enforcement learned Rodriguez-Singh boarded an planetary formation with a layover successful Turkey, with India arsenic the last destination, conscionable two days earlier an Amber Alert was issued astir Noel's disappearance. Joining the suspect connected that formation were her six different children and existent husband, Arshdeep Singh, authorities say.

Several theories – specified as human trafficking – supported the conception that the lad was inactive alive; however, those avenues of inquiry were rapidly discarded and replaced by the condemnation that helium was killed by his mother.

More Law&Crime coverage: 'Distinct anticipation that helium has been sold': Family of long-missing 6-year-old disabled lad traveled to India conscionable earlier AMBER Alert was issued

Noel's assemblage has yet to beryllium found. The origin of his presumed decease is not ripe for discussion; a imaginable motive is likewise elusive – though occult-oriented explanations whitethorn diagnostic successful a transgression trial. Overall, carnal grounds successful the lawsuit has been nil to nonexistent – astatine slightest successful presumption of what has been shared up to the constituent of Singh's capture.

Noel suffered from a big of ailments that required attraction and patience. He had not been seen for months by the extended household astatine the clip instrumentality enforcement became involved. When initially contacted by constabulary astir her vanished son, Rodriguez-Singh said the kid had been surviving with his biologic begetter successful Mexico since November 2022. Detectives aboriginal learned that was not true; the boy's begetter had been deported earlier helium ever had a accidental to conscionable his son.

Eventually, each signs pointed to intentional homicide.

"Singh was charged successful October 2023 successful the District Court of Tarrant County, Fort Worth, Texas, and successful November [2023], authorities issued a national apprehension warrant for the complaint of Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution," Patel noted connected Wednesday.

Singh was besides indicted connected 1 number of abandoning a kid without intent to instrumentality by Lone Star State instrumentality enforcement, Law&Crime antecedently reported.

Everman Police Chief Craig Spencer has, for years, doggedly pursued the present planetary lawsuit that originated successful the tiny town, located astir 12 miles owed southbound of Fort Worth.

The constabulary main praised Singh's inclusion connected the FBI's database astatine the time, successful comments to Law&Crime.

"Noel deserves justice," helium said. "His communicative deserves resolution."

With her arrest, the FBI has started that process.

Singh's apprehension besides marks the 4th idiosyncratic connected the "10 Most Wanted" database to beryllium arrested successful the past 7 months, Patel said.