 "Woman with Indian ties on FBI’s most-wanted list for killing 6-year-old son: Who is Cindy Rodriguez-Singh?")
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has added Cindy Rodriguez-Singh, a 40-year-old woman with ties to India and Mexico, to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list for her alleged role in the murder of her six-year-old son, Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez.
Rodriguez-Singh, who is believed to have fled the US in March 2023 with her husband, Arshdeep Singh and their six other children, is suspected to be hiding in India.
On Tuesday, the FBI announced it was raising the reward for information that leads to her arrest and conviction from $25,000 (Rs 21.4 lakh) to a staggering $250,000 (Rs 2.14 crore). The Bureau confirmed this is one of the highest rewards currently being offered for a fugitive.
So, how did this case unfold? And who is the woman at the centre of it all? Here’s what we know.
The mysterious disappearance of Noel Alvarez
Six-year-old Noel Rodriguez Alvarez was last seen in October 2022, around the same time his mother, Cindy Rodriguez Singh, gave birth to twins.
Months later, on March 20, 2023, officers from the Everman Police Department in Texas carried out a welfare check at the request of the state’s Child Protective Services, who were tipped off about the possible neglect and disappearance of the child.
When questioned, Rodriguez Singh told police that Noel was living with his biological father in Mexico and had been there since November 2022.
But just two days after that visit, on March 22, Cindy, her husband Arshdeep Singh, and their six other children boarded a flight to India. Noel wasn’t with them. According to both the FBI and local police, he never boarded that plane—and hasn’t been seen since.
From thereon, Rodriguez Singh has remained out of sight. Investigators believe she could be hiding either in India or Mexico.
What happened to Noel?
Noel reportedly suffered from chronic lung disease and needed oxygen to breathe. But instead of receiving care, the little boy reportedly endured terrifying abuse.
As reported by USA Today, Rodriguez Singh allegedly believed her son was “evil, possessed or [had] a demon in him.” In the days before his disappearance, she is said to have told people she feared Noel might “hunt” her newborn twins.
Witnesses later told police that Rodriguez Singh would deprive Noel of food and water, refusing to feed him just because she didn’t want to change his diapers. One account described her striking him in the face with a set of keys when he tried to drink water.
She also gave conflicting stories about Noel’s whereabouts. In one version, she claimed she had “sold” him to a woman in the parking lot of a Fiesta Mart supermarket, but police found no evidence to back that up. Former Everman Police Chief Craig Spencer confirmed that no sale or exchange ever took place.
FBI Dallas hosted a press conference today to announce Cindy Rodriguez Singh as the 537th fugitive placed on the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted List. She is wanted for allegedly killing her 6-year-old son, Noel Alvarez. https://t.co/lZwTBE3xhb pic.twitter.com/u7qOJ5VVFA
— FBI Dallas (@FBIDallas) July 1, 2025
Investigators also uncovered a disturbing detail: the day before the family fled the country, Arshdeep Singh was seen disposing of a carpet in a dumpster near their home. A police dog trained to sniff out human remains alerted police to both the carpet and the new patio at the family’s residence.
How Rodriguez-Singh ended up on the FBI’s ‘most wanted’ list
In the months after Rodriguez-Singh and her family fled the US, the investigation into Noel Alvarez’s disappearance only intensified, and so did the case against her.
On October 31, 2023, authorities formally charged Rodriguez-Singh with capital murder in the District Court of Tarrant County in Fort Worth, Texas. Just days later, on November 2, a federal arrest warrant was issued by the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas, charging her with Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution.
Initially, the FBI had announced a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to her arrest. But on July 2, 2025, the agency raised the reward to $250,000 and also placed Rodriguez-Singh on its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, one of the highest-profile fugitive lists in the world.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading to the arrest of Cindy Rodriguez Singh. Calls can be made to 1-800-CALL-FBI or to FBI Dallas at 972-559-5000. Tips can also be submitted digitally at https://t.co/gEDOPVZKar. https://t.co/gxbmUuCAPI pic.twitter.com/oHfjnz2HsI
— FBI Dallas (@FBIDallas) July 1, 2025
“The addition of Cindy Rodriguez Singh to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list marks a powerful moment in our unrelenting pursuit of justice for Noel,” said Everman Police Chief Craig Spencer. “This is a promise we made to him and to this community, that we would never stop until those responsible are held accountable.”
At a press conference held by the FBI on Tuesday, R Joseph Rothrock, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Dallas Field Office, reiterated that message, “The message to Cindy [Rodriguez Singh] is we aren’t going to stop [looking]. We’re going to keep seeking justice for Noel.”
Rodriguez-Singh, born in Dallas, Texas, in 1985, is 39 years old. She’s described as standing between 5 feet 1 inch and 5 feet 3 inches, weighing between 120 and 140 pounds (54–63 kg). She has a medium complexion, brown eyes, and brown hair, with multiple tattoos on her back, both legs, right arm, right hand, and right calf, according to the FBI’s lookout bulletin.
Emphasising the urgency of finding her, Chief Spencer added,“The immediate capture of Cindy Rodriguez Singh is so incredibly important in the interest of justice, the safety of our communities, as well as the safety of the other children in her custody.”
With input from agencies
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