Maryland mother charged with murdering 3-year-old daughter after false story prompts Amber Alert, police say
A mother has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 3-year-old daughter, who went missing after a false report prompted an Amber Alert in Newark, Delaware, Maryland State Police said.
Darrian Randle, 31, and her boyfriend, Cedrick Antoine Britten, 44, were both charged in connection with the death of 3-year-old Nola Dinkins.
Maryland State Police said Randle has been charged with first and second-degree murder, first-degree child abuse resulting in the death of a minor under 13 and other related offenses. Britten was charged with accessory to first- and second-degree murder, failure to report a child death and other charges, according to Maryland State Police.
At about 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Maryland State Police said investigators found human remains in a vacant lot in North East, Maryland, amid the search for Dinkins.
Elena Russo, the spokesperson for Maryland State Police, said the human remains found "looked to be of a child," but they're still waiting to identify them and learn the cause and manner of death.
Russo said Maryland State Police will likely have an update on Thursday on the autopsy of the human remains.
Russo said Randle and Britten lived at a home together in North East, Cecil County, along with Dinkins.
Britten is currently in Maryland State Police custody before he's taken to Cecil County District Court.
Randle was also charged in New Castle County, Delaware, with filing a false police report on Tuesday night that prompted an Amber Alert. She was arraigned and taken to the Baylor Women's Correctional Institution in New Castle on $1 million cash bail. Randle is awaiting extradition to Maryland, Russo said.
What to know about 3-year-old Nola Dinkins investigation
Dinkins was reported missing by her mother in New Castle County, Delaware, on Tuesday night, which prompted an Amber Alert.
New Castle County Police said Wednesday that investigators determined the initial account given by Randle was false.
On Tuesday, New Castle County Police originally said that Dinkins was abducted at gunpoint by a man on the 500 block of Gender Road in Newark, Delaware, around 7:15 p.m.
Based on the original report, police said Dinkins' mother told investigators she pulled over to calm down the toddler when a stranger approached them with a gun who took the child before driving away in an SUV.
Anyone with information relevant to this investigation is urged to contact the Maryland State Police North East Barrack at 410-996-7800.
Maryland State Police are leading the investigation with the help of the FBI.
