A Maryland mother has been accused of killing her three-year-old daughter and then falsely reporting her missing.
Darrian Randle, 31, and Cedrick Antoine Britten, 44, have been charged with the death of three-year-old Nola Dinkins. The investigation began on June 10, when the girl’s mother, Randle, reported her missing, according to police.
Initially, an Amber Alert was issued, but as police investigated, they determined that the kidnapping report was false and cancelled it.
“Police responded to Randle’s last known address in North East and made contact with Britten.
Further investigation uncovered potential criminal activity, which resulted in the discovery of human remains in a vacant lot in North East, Maryland,” police reported.
PEOPLE reported that the little girl’s remains were discovered in a suitcase, emaciated and completely wrapped in Saran Wrap. According to the outlet, criminal charges were filed after police positively identified the remains on July 11.
Randle is being held on charges of first and second-degree murder, first-degree child abuse resulting in the death of a minor under the age of thirteen, and other related crimes.
Britten faces charges of accessory to first- and second-degree murder after the fact, failure to report child death, and other related criminal offenses.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for Nola Dinkins’ family. It reads, “As we face the heartbreaking task of saying goodbye, our family is banding together to honor Nola’s memory.”
We’re raising money to help with funeral costs, a memorial service, travel expenses, and attorney fees. Your help will allow us to give Nola the homecoming she deserves while also easing the financial burden during this difficult time.”
