EVERMAN, Texas — It’s been nearly a year since family members laid eyes on 6-year-old Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez -- a story that has captured the hearts of North Texans.
The Everman Police Department provided an update Monday on the search for the missing child, who is believed to be dead.
At the center of the criminal investigation is Noel’s mother and stepfather, who fled with six of Noel’s siblings on a plane to Turkey, then to India in March 2023.
The last update on Noel's disappearance came in June 2023, when the Everman Police Department released airport surveillance photos of Noel’s family preparing to board that flight out of the country without the child.
In a press conference held Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, Everman Police Chief Craig Spencer said a Tarrant County grand jury issued four indictments against Noel's mother, Cindy Rodriguez-Singh, which includes capital murder, two counts of injury to a child and one count of abandoning without the intent to return.
Spencer said these new indictments will support the continued efforts to bring Rodriguez-Singh and her husband Arshdeep Singh back to the United States.
Police had previously obtained arrest warrants for Rodriguez-Singh and Singh on charges of abandoning or endangering a child.
"I can't wait until they get her and bring her back," Spencer said.
Spencer praised his team, other law enforcement agencies and their federal partners for their relentless work in bringing justice for Noel. In the last six months, Spencer said they have searched an additional 100 acres and several small areas in Everman to find Noel's body.
"Our work is not done," said Spencer. He does believe his department's work is paying off, but the new indictment confirms their biggest fear -- that Noel is truly deceased.
"I've had tears in my eyes since I got the call [about the indictments] earlier today," Spencer said. "I would love nothing more than to be wrong on this case.
Everman Mayor Ray Richardson also spoke during the press conference, saying 2023 has been a difficult year and there's not a day that goes by without someone asking about Noel. Richardson said he hopes his community will finally get answers surrounding this case.
Without going into details, which Spencer said could compromise their search efforts, he said there was additional supporting evidence and he had no reason to believe Rodriguez-Singh and her family had left India.
For now, Spencer is holding onto the hope that with the help of federal partners, including the FBI and U.S. Marshals, they'll be able to finally bring the accused home.
Despite not finding his remains, the community of Everman will always remember Noel. There's an upcoming all-inclusive playground dedication in his name. "This will keep Noel's memory alive," said Mayor Richardson.
Watch the full press conference below:
Backstory of Noel’s disappearance
On March 20, 2023, the Everman Police Department was contacted by Texas Child Protective Investigations after family members reported that they hadn’t seen Noel since November 2022.
After a welfare check was requested at the child’s home, his mother, 37-year-old Cindy Rodriguez-Singh, told police that Noel was in Mexico with his biological father.
During an investigation, police found that story to be false and, right before an AMBER Alert was issued on March 25, Rodriguez-Singh, her husband Arshdeep Singh and six of Noel’s siblings boarded a flight to Turkey, then to India.
Police said in order to secure the tickets, Singh reportedly altered his company’s cash deposit records and removed $10,000 in cash before depositing $8,000 of that into his own account – all of which, police said, was captured on surveillance.
Police then launched a missing/endangered person search for Noel. After several weeks of searching through the home where his family lived, a nearby wooded area, a shed on the property and additional locations, there has still been no sign of Noel.
In mid-April, several cadaver dogs alerted investigators to soil in one particular area where the family lived. Police also told WFAA that a carpet Singh disposed of used to lay above the area the dogs alerted.
Investigators have since determined that Noel was likely dead.
Everman PD Chief Craig Spencer didn’t specify how his department came to that conclusion, but revealed that Noel’s mother was known to be abusive toward Noel. Spencer said Rodriguez-Singh reportedly refused to give Noel water, food or diapers, and hit him with keys.
Per the last sighting of Noel, it was said he appeared unhealthy and malnourised.
Rodriguez-Singh also referred to the 6-year-old as being possessed and evil.
Everman PD has remained vigilant in the search for the 6-year-old's body, while still trying to find a way to bring Rodriguez-Singh and Singh back to the states.