North Texas boy finally to be laid to rest after mother fled to India, was charged with murder, officials say

Four years after 6-year-old Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez was last seen alive, his family is preparing for a private funeral. A public candlelight vigil is planned for later this month in Everman, the city announced Wednesday.

Noel's disappearance sparked an international investigation that led to the arrest of his mother, Cindy Rodriguez Singh, who fled to India with her husband and six other children shortly after investigators began searching for him.

In April, a judge found Rodriquez Singh incompetent to stand trial and ordered her to undergo treatment at a state hospital intended to restore her competency.  

In May, investigators discovered human remains at Noel's former Everman home. The remains were positively identified as his through dental records on May 15.

The candlelight vigil is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24, at 6 p.m. at Clyde Pittman Park, 300 Wichita St., in Everman. The gathering will take place near the playground named in Noel's honor in 2023. Attendees are encouraged to wear light blue, his favorite color.

A funeral date or location has not been disclosed.  

Noel was last seen alive in October 2022, but his disappearance did not come to the attention of police until March 2023, when officers conducted a welfare check.

Rodriguez Singh was indicted on a capital murder charge in October 2023 and placed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in July 2025. She was arrested in India the following month and returned to Tarrant County. 

In a news release, Everman officials said they hope Noel will be remembered for his life rather than the circumstances of his disappearance.

"Noel has been remembered as a sweet, loving, friendly child who enjoyed playing with toy cars, loved the color blue, and had a special way of making people around him feel welcome," the city said. "His family has described him as someone who truly 'never knew a stranger.'"

The city extended condolences to Noel's father, siblings, grandparents, extended family, and others who knew him, while asking the community to respect the family's privacy as they prepare to say goodbye.

"Noel was more than a case, more than an investigation, and more than a headline," the city said. "He was a child. He was loved. He mattered. And he will never be forgotten."

CBS News Texas will provide updates as more information becomes available.