Quick Summary
Texas mother Cindy Rodriguez Singh, accused of killing her 6-year-old son Noel, has been arrested in India after two years on the run. Singh was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list in July 2025 with a $250,000 reward. Noel, a child with chronic lung disease, was last seen in 2022. Authorities believe Singh abused him and concealed his death, though his body was never found. She now faces extradition to the U.S. to stand trial for capital murder.
Arrest in India ends two-year international manhunt
The FBI has confirmed the arrest of Cindy Singh, a 40-year-old Texas woman accused of killing her 6-year-old son, Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez. Singh was captured in India on August 20, 2025, after nearly two years on the run.
She had fled the United States in March 2023 with her husband, Arshdeep Singh, and six of her children. The FBI added her to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in July 2025, offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to her capture.
FBI Director Kash Patel called the arrest “a result of international coordination,” highlighting that Singh’s case marks the fourth arrest from the Ten Most Wanted list in just seven months.
Who is Cindy Singh?
Born on January 30, 1985, in Dallas, Cindy Rodriguez Singh (also known as Cecilia Rodriguez or Cindy C. Rodriguez) is described by the FBI as a Hispanic woman between 5’1” and 5’3”, with brown hair, brown eyes, and multiple tattoos across her back, legs, arms, hands, and calves.
She lived in Everman, Texas, with her husband and children, reportedly in squalid conditions described by investigators as “a shed.” Singh had a long history of Child Protective Services (CPS) investigations.
Her placement on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list was historic: she became the first mother accused of killing her own child to be included in the program’s 75-year history.
The case of Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez
Noel, a special-needs child with chronic lung disease requiring oxygen support, was last seen in October 2022. Witnesses reported that Singh:
- Referred to Noel as “evil” or “possessed.”
- Claimed she feared he might harm her newborn twins.
- Withheld food and water from him.
- Hit him with a set of keys.
- Spread false stories that she had sold him to a stranger at a supermarket.
By March 2023, a welfare check by police and CPS exposed Singh’s lies that Noel was in Mexico with his father. No border records confirmed that claim. Days later, Singh and her family flew to India via Istanbul, using airline tickets purchased with $10,000 her husband allegedly stole from his workplace.
Though Noel’s body was never found, cadaver dogs alerted to human remains beneath a newly built concrete patio at Singh’s Everman home and inside a discarded carpet. Authorities charged Singh with capital murder despite the absence of a recovered body.
Why the arrest matters
Singh’s capture brings an international fugitive case to a close, but also raises several critical issues:
- Child welfare failures: Despite repeated CPS investigations, Noel remained in Singh’s custody until his disappearance. The case has reignited calls for stronger oversight of at-risk children.
- FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list: Singh’s addition underscored the seriousness of her alleged crimes and broadened public awareness. She was one of only a handful of women ever added to the list.
- International cooperation: Singh’s arrest required coordination between the FBI, Interpol, and Indian authorities, showcasing how global partnerships are increasingly vital in high-profile cases.
What happens next?
Singh faces extradition proceedings in India before being returned to Texas to stand trial for capital murder. Prosecutors are expected to pursue a maximum sentence, given the evidence of abuse and her attempt to flee.
Meanwhile, advocates for child protection say Noel’s case is a devastating reminder of systemic gaps in monitoring vulnerable children. His disappearance—and likely death—has already prompted Texas lawmakers to review CPS protocols.
Who was Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez?
- Age: 6 years old at the time of disappearance.
- Medical condition: Chronic lung disease requiring oxygen.
- Background: Known to neighbors and relatives as a quiet, affectionate boy.
- Tragic legacy: Though his body has never been recovered, the signs of abuse and circumstantial evidence have painted a grim picture of his final months.
