Maryland mother arrested for murder after falsely claiming her 3-year-old child was kidnapped.
A Maryland woman, Darrian Randle, aged 31, has been arrested and charged in connection with the murder of her three-year-old daughter, Nola Dinkins. The arrest, announced by state police on Wednesday, follows an extensive investigation into a false kidnapping report filed by Randle earlier this week.
Randle initially claimed that her daughter had been abducted at gunpoint in Newark, Delaware, on Tuesday, prompting a swift Amber Alert that mobilized authorities. However, as law enforcement officials from New Castle County and the FBI delved deeper into the circumstances of the reported kidnapping, inconsistencies in Randle’s account led to the determination that the report was fabricated, ultimately resulting in the cancellation of the Amber Alert.
Maryland State Police subsequently joined the investigative efforts and visited Randle’s last known residence in North East, Maryland, where they encountered Cedrick Antoine Britten, 44, Randle’s boyfriend. Their investigation took a tragic turn on Wednesday when human remains were discovered in a vacant lot in North East, believed to belong to a young child. The remains are currently undergoing examination by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore to confirm their identity.
According to statements made during the investigation, Randle reportedly confessed to fabricating the kidnapping narrative. Court documents indicate that she allegedly struck her daughter multiple times with a belt, an act that resulted in Nola collapsing and becoming unresponsive. Following this, Randle is said to have placed the child’s body in a suitcase and requested that Britten dispose of it. He reportedly complied and took the suitcase to a local park, subsequently sending Randle a photograph of the location.
As a result of these developments, Randle faces several serious charges, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and first-degree child abuse resulting in the death of a minor under the age of 13. She is also charged with filing a false police report. Britten, for his part, has been charged with being an accessory to both first- and second-degree murder after the fact, failure to report a child’s death, and other related offenses.
The tragic circumstances surrounding Nola Dinkins’ death have resonated deeply within the community, raising questions about child safety and the responsibilities of caregivers. The investigation continues as authorities seek to piece together the events leading to this heartbreaking incident.
