Background: The scene in North East, Md. where police found human remains consistent with a child (WTXF). Inset left: Darrian Randle (Delaware Department of Corrections). Inset right: Nola Dinkins (New Castle County Police Department).
After an aborted Amber Alert and the discovery of human remains, a Maryland mom has been charged with the murder of her 3-year-old daughter.
Maryland State Police announced on Wednesday night that Darrian Randle, 31, was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree murder, first degree of child abuse resulting in death of a minor under 13, and “other related criminal charges” in connection to the presumed death of her daughter, 3-year-old Nola Dinkins. Also arrested was Randle’s boyfriend, 44-year-old Cedrick Antoine Britten, who was charged with accessory to first- and second-degree murder after the fact and failure to report child death.
Earlier on Wednesday, New Castle County Police announced that the Amber Alert issued after Randle reported Nola missing had been canceled when it was determined that she lied to police about her daughter’s purported abduction.
In a press release announcing the arrests, Maryland State Police stated that the department became involved in the case when New Castle County police learned Randle’s last known home address was in North East, Maryland. Maryland State Police subsequently made contact with Britten at that address, and further investigation led them to a vacant lot nearby.
Maryland State Police said that investigators from their Homicide Unit discovered “human remains consistent with that of a young child” at around 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday. They are awaiting a positive identification from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore.
During a press conference on Wednesday that was reported by Philadelphia Fox affiliate WTXF, Maryland State Police spokesperson Elena Russo explained that Britten was in custody with the Maryland State Police while Randle remains in custody with Delaware authorities in connection with charges in that state for false reporting, a felony. She is expected to be extradited to Maryland.
On Tuesday at around 7:15 p.m., Randle called police while she was in Newark, Delaware, to report that her daughter had been abducted by a white couple while they were pulled over on the side of the road. An Amber Alert was issued for Nola, and the New Castle County Division of Police Criminal Investigations Unit as well as the Maryland State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation began their search for the little girl.
But as the investigation progressed, Maryland State Police stated that “[i]nformation gleaned throughout the investigation revealed the initial report provided by Randle was false.” New Castle County police then announced the cancellation of the Amber Alert and the homicide investigation.
The remains found have not yet been positively identified as Nola Dinkins.
