Background: The residence in North East, Md., where police believe Nola Dinkins died (WJZ). Inset (left): Nola Dinkins (New Castle County Police Department). Inset (center): Darrian Randle (New Castle County Police Department). Inset (right): Cedrick Britten (Maryland State Police).
A Maryland woman accused of murdering her 3-year-old daughter after falsely reporting her kidnapping allegedly confessed to police that she beat her child to death.
Darrian Randle, 31, was charged with the murder of her 3-year-old daughter, Nola Dinkins, on Wednesday after initially telling police in Delaware that the little girl had been abducted. Later the same day, Delaware police announced that the investigation was being treated as a homicide and would be handled by the Maryland State Police. Human remains consistent with those of a young child were found on Wednesday afternoon near the home of Randle’s boyfriend, authorities in Maryland said.
Now, charging documents obtained by several local media outlets have revealed some of the tragic and gruesome details.
As Law&Crime previously reported, the investigation in Delaware shifted to Maryland when police learned that Randle and her daughter lived in Maryland’s Cecil County, in an apartment complex in North East. When state troopers arrived at that address, they found 44-year-old Cedrick Antoine Britten, Randle’s boyfriend.
According to the charging documents obtained by local NBC affiliate WBAL, Britten told the troopers that Randle had left the apartment with Nola. When troopers reviewed surveillance video from the property, they observed Randle leaving alone, noting that Nola was “never observed on camera.”
Britten allowed the troopers to search the home, which they reportedly noted smelled of bleach and other cleaning products. Inside Britten’s vehicle was a child’s blanket, which troopers said had a stain on it that they believed could be blood, the documents reportedly stated. Britten allegedly claimed it was not his and belonged to someone he met at a park the previous summer.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based NBC affiliate WCAU also obtained the documents, which noted that Britten’s demeanor was “very neutral,” prompting troopers to question him about it. Britten explained that “he used to be special forces in the military and has dealt with human trafficking before,” according to Baltimore-based CBS affiliate WJZ, which also obtained the documents.
Meanwhile, Delaware authorities had been interviewing Randle in connection with the alleged kidnapping she had reported. As her story about the abduction by an unidentified white couple in a van fell apart, Randle allegedly confessed to “physically striking (the child) with a belt approximately 15-20 times about her body during the daytime hours on Monday.”
Randle allegedly told Delaware police that Nola was unresponsive after the beating, and she was unable to wake the girl up. She reportedly said that she attempted CPR, but Nola was already dead.
Randle and Britten put Nola in his vehicle and “drove around for a while” before ending up back at the home, WCAU reported. The couple then allegedly put Nola’s dead body in a suitcase and left it in the basement overnight. Randle then asked Britten to dispose of the suitcase containing the body of her daughter, police said.
Britten allegedly took the suitcase in his vehicle to Perryville Community Park, where he said he left it. He reportedly took a photo of the park and sent it to Randle. According to the charging documents, he drew police a map leading to the location, which was in an area near his home.
Police found the suitcase at around 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, charging documents reportedly stated. Inside were human remains, which were “consistent with an emaciated child and were completely wrapped in Saran Wrap.”
As of Friday morning, Maryland State Police have not yet provided an update from the medical examiner on a positive identification of the remains, nor the cause or manner of death.
Randle now faces felony charges in two states. In Delaware, she is charged with false reporting; in Maryland, she is charged with first- and second-degree murder, first-degree child abuse resulting in the death of a minor under 13, and other charges in connection with the presumed death of her daughter. She is still in custody in Delaware, where she is being held on $1 million bond. Randle is expected to be extradited to Maryland’s Cecil County.
Britten was charged with being an accessory to first- and second-degree murder and other charges and was released on $75,000 bond on Thursday. He was ordered to remain on home detention.
