Updated at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday: Revised to include that the body has been identified as Sherin Mathews.

The body of a young child found Sunday in a culvert in Richardson has been identified as that of missing 3-year-old Sherin Mathews, police confirmed Tuesday.

Richardson police said the Dallas medical examiner's office used dental records to confirm the identity of the body that was found Sunday. Her cause of death has not been determined and police haven't said whether or not they suspect foul play.

Sherin's father, who originally told police he sent her out to an alley as punishment, is facing a felony charge after offering a new account Monday of how the girl went missing two weeks ago.

Sherin Mathews

Wesley Mathews, 37, faces a charge of injury to a child, said police Sgt. Kevin Perlich. His arrest came the day after officials discovered a young child's body less than a mile from Sherin Mathews' home. Police have said the body was "most likely" hers.

On Monday, Mathews — accompanied by his attorney — voluntarily gave police a new version of events: He had been trying to get Sherin to drink her milk in the garage, but she wouldn't listen.

Eventually, the girl began to drink her milk, and Mathews "physically assisted" her, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Sherin began to choke, her dad told police. He said she was coughing and that her breathing slowed.

At some point, Mathews no longer felt a pulse on his daughter and believed her to be dead, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. He admitted to police that he removed her body from the home.

A memorial in the area where the body of a small child was found Sunday morning during the search for a missing 3-year-old girl. (Nathan Hunsinger / Staff Photographer)

Mathews, who reportedly adopted Sherin from her native India last year, was being held in the Richardson City Jail. Bail was to be set at $1 million.

Sherin had been missing since Oct. 7, when Mathews originally told police that he had sent the girl outside to an alley near their house in the 900 block of Sunningdale about 3 a.m. because she refused to drink her milk. When he went to check on her about 15 minutes later, she was gone, he told police.

Mathews told police he went inside their home and did laundry while he waited for it to get lighter outside or for the girl to return on her own.

He was arrested later that day and charged with child endangerment after telling police he knew coyotes had been seen in the alley, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. Mathews was released from jail after posting bond and was required to wear an electronic monitoring device and surrender his passport.

An attempt to reach Mathews' attorney was unsuccessful. A spokeswoman for Child Protective Services could not be reached for comment.

Wesley Mathews (Richardson Police Department )

An attorney for Sherin's adoptive mother said Monday that Sini Mathews was "distraught" about Sherin and was cooperating with police to identify the body.

The remains were found about 11 a.m. in a culvert near East Spring Valley and South Bowser roads, with the help of search dogs.

Sini Mathews, who is a registered nurse, reportedly was asleep at the home and was unaware of what her husband was doing, police said. She has not been charged with a crime.

"We want to make sure everyone understands this is still a continuing investigation, and because of that there are certain dynamics that may change as we go along that may result in additional arrests or modification of charges," Perlich said.

Injury to a child is a first-degree felony punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison.

The Mathewses appeared before a Dallas County judge Monday morning to attempt to regain custody of their 4-year-old daughter, who was removed from the home two weeks ago. The judge postponed the custody hearing, and the girl was to remain in foster care for three more weeks.

When Child Protective Services removes a child from the custody of his or her parents, the agency prefers to leave the child with a family member. The agency indicated Monday that it was looking into conducting a home study in Fort Bend County, near Houston.

Staff writers Claire Ballor and Jennifer Emily contributed to the report.