DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – CBS 11 has confirmed Wesley Mathews, who was sentenced to life in prison on June 26 in the death of his 3-year-old daughter, Sherin Mathews, is appealing the sentence and his attorney also filed a motion for a new trial.

Before the trial, Mathews, 39, of Richardson, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of injury to a child by omission in the death of his adopted daughter.

The original report from Mathews claimed the child disappeared, which triggered an Amber Alert. Her body was eventually found inside a culvert near their Richardson home.

As Mathews’ story changed, he ultimately stated that she died after choking on milk.

“I tried to gently shake Sherin so she would be out of that spell but nothing was working and in a matter — pretty soon her head started going different directions and her head came to a still,” Mathews said. “I truly am sorry. I don’t have words to express how sorry I am to these fine officers, these fine people who were full of love and concern for my baby Sherin and they devoted a lot of time and effort and I could have easily stopped that.”

During his time on the witness stand, Mathews also addressed questions about why he didn’t immediately tell his wife, Sini, or police about what happened. He was also frequently asked about the lies he told authorities during the investigation.