The remains found behind a home in Everman, Texas, have been identified as 6-year-old Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez, and the case now threads through a web of criminal charges, forensic confirmation, court rulings, and revealing letters from his mother, Cindy Rodriguez-Singh. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner used dental records for identification, District Attorney Phil Sorrells has vowed to pursue justice, and defense perspectives from attorney Russell Wilson add context as Rodriguez-Singh remains under a competency ruling in a state facility.
The confirmation came after forensic work at the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office matched dental records to Noel, a child born with developmental and physical disabilities who had been missing since 2022. Authorities have long believed he was deceased, but locating his remains behind a residence in Everman finally gave investigators a concrete lead. The announcement did not say whether the medical examiner was able to determine a cause of death.
District Attorney Phil Sorrells issued a statement that pulled no punches about the human cost, saying, “This case has weighed heavily on our community from the beginning,” said District Attorney Phil Sorrells. “Noel was a child whose life mattered. He deserved protection, care, and love. Instead, he became the victim of an unthinkable crime.” The office says it intends to hold those responsible fully accountable under the law.
The timeline is stark and unsettling: Noel was last seen in the fall of 2022, but local officials weren’t alerted until March 2023 when an extended relative reported him missing. Police and Child Protective Services went to the home, only to be told by Noel’s mother that he was living with his biological father in Mexico. Two days after that contact, Rodriguez-Singh, her husband, and six other children flew to India; Noel was not on the flight.
Cindy Rodriguez-Singh was later added to the FBI’s Most Wanted list and was captured in India last August. She faces a capital murder charge tied to Noel’s disappearance. Last month a Tarrant County judge found her incompetent to stand trial and ordered her to a state mental facility, and the DA has said he will prosecute if and when competency is restored.
Fox 4 obtained copies of three handwritten letters Rodriguez-Singh mailed to the judge in April, and those notes offer a window into her state of mind without answering what happened to Noel. In the letters she writes and repeats phrases including “God knows I am not a bad person” and “I’m not crazy.” She also complains about the competency evaluation, writing, “I only had one day/night to study everything. I believe that is unfair.” “Sir/or Madam, I’m truly sorry for not passing that test,” she continues.
In the letters Rodriguez-Singh alleges mistreatment by officers and other inmates and writes about mind reading and control devices, while also mentioning her other children and an alleged pending Child Protective Services case. Notably, the letters contain no account of Noel’s disappearance or any admission about his fate. Because the notes were written while she was deemed incompetent, prosecutors may face limits on their use if she regains competency and the case moves to trial.
Criminal defense attorney Russell Wilson put the letters in perspective, cautioning about their evidentiary value. “Certainly they could potentially be evidence as punishment if she was found guilty, and there was a punishment hearing. But overall I’m not so sure that they would, you know, bear directly on whether or not she’s guilty of the offense of capital murder,” he said. Meanwhile, investigators and the DA’s office continue to process the case and prepare for whatever legal steps come next as Noel’s surviving siblings remain with family in the United States.
