Highlights:
- Singh was wanted in Texas for the capital murder of her six-year-old son, Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez.
- The child, with severe health issues, had been missing since October 2022.
- Singh lied about Noel’s whereabouts, claiming he was in Mexico.
- She fled to India in March 2023 with her husband and six other children.
- Arrest followed INTERPOL Red Notice; Singh will face US charges including capital murder.
A woman listed among the FBI’s ‘10 Most Wanted Fugitives’ has been arrested in India in connection with the murder of her six-year-old son, US officials said on Wednesday. Cindy Rodriguez Singh, 40, was apprehended in a coordinated operation involving the FBI, Indian law enforcement, INTERPOL, and the US Justice Department.
The arrest is the fourth capture of an individual from the FBI’s ‘Top 10 Most Wanted’ list within the past seven months, according to FBI Director Kash Patel, who credited the seamless cooperation among international agencies for Singh’s arrest.
Fleeing prosecution, hiding the truth
Singh, who originally resided in Texas, became a fugitive after authorities began investigating the disappearance of her special needs son, Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez, in March 2023. Noel, who suffered from several critical health and developmental issues—including a severe developmental disorder, bone density problems, and chronic lung disease—had not been seen since October 2022.
Following a welfare check requested by Texas authorities, Singh allegedly lied to investigators, claiming her son was in Mexico with his biological father and had been there since November 2022. Just days after the inquiry, Singh fled the United States with her husband—the child’s Indian-origin stepfather—and six other children. They boarded a flight to India, but crucially, Noel was not among them.
Investigators later determined that the missing boy never boarded the flight and was not present with the family, raising immediate suspicions about his fate.
International efforts and extradition
In October 2023, a Texas district court formally charged Cindy Rodriguez Singh with murder. Authorities subsequently issued an INTERPOL Red Notice for her, alerting law enforcement worldwide to her fugitive status. The US submitted an official extradition request to Indian authorities after the Red Notice publication.
Her arrest in India by the FBI, with support from local Indian agencies and INTERPOL, paved the way for her extradition back to the US. Singh has already been transported to the US, where she will be handed over to Texas authorities and face charges of ‘Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution’ and ‘Capital Murder of a Person Under 10 Years of Age.’
FBI Director Kash Patel publicly acknowledged the successful multinational effort, emphasizing the importance of cross-border law enforcement collaboration in bringing fugitives to justice.
