A Maryland mother, Darrian Randle, 31, has been charged with the murder of her 3-year-old daughter, Nola Dinkins, after initially reporting the child as kidnapped. The investigation, which began in Delaware, was later transferred to Maryland State Police when it was discovered that Randle and her daughter resided in Cecil County, Maryland.
Randle’s initial report to Delaware police claimed that her daughter had been abducted. However, the case took a grim turn when authorities announced later that day that the investigation was being treated as a homicide. Human remains, consistent with those of a young child, were discovered near the residence of Randle’s boyfriend in Maryland.
Charging documents obtained by local media outlets have shed light on the tragic circumstances surrounding the case. When Maryland State Troopers arrived at Randle’s address, they encountered her boyfriend, 44-year-old Cedrick Antoine Britten. Surveillance footage from the property showed Randle leaving the apartment alone, contradicting Britten’s claim that Randle had left with Nola.
A search of the home revealed a strong smell of bleach and other cleaning products. A child’s blanket with a suspicious stain, believed to be blood, was found in Britten’s vehicle. Britten claimed the blanket was not his and belonged to someone he had met at a park the previous summer.
While Randle was being interviewed by Delaware authorities in connection with the alleged kidnapping, her story began to unravel. She eventually confessed to physically assaulting her daughter with a belt approximately 15-20 times. Randle admitted that Nola was unresponsive after the beating and despite her attempts at CPR, the child was already dead.
According to reports, Randle and Britten placed Nola’s body in a suitcase and left it in the basement overnight. Britten was then asked to dispose of the suitcase, which he allegedly took to Perryville Community Park. He provided police with a map leading to the location of the suitcase, which was found to contain human remains wrapped in plastic wrap.
As of now, Maryland State Police have not released an update from the medical examiner on the identification of the remains or the cause of death. Randle is facing felony charges in both Delaware and Maryland, including first- and second-degree murder, first-degree child abuse resulting in death, and false reporting. She is currently being held on a $1 million bond in Delaware and is expected to be extradited to Maryland.
Britten has been charged with being an accessory to first- and second-degree murder and was released on a $75,000 bond. He has been ordered to remain on home detention.