Maryland State Police confirmed on July 11 that human remains discovered in Cecil County have been positively identified as three-year-old Nola Dinkins. The child’s body was found wrapped in Saran Wrap inside a blue suitcase in a vacant lot on Dune Drive in North East, Maryland, on June 11.
The discovery came after an extensive investigation that began when the child’s mother, 31-year-old Darrian Randle of North East, Maryland, falsely reported to New Castle County police on June 10 that her daughter had been abducted at gunpoint in Delaware. Randle claimed the kidnapping occurred around 7:15 p.m. in the 500 block of Gender Road in Newark, Delaware.
An Amber Alert was issued but later canceled when investigators determined the mother’s account was false. As part of standard procedure in missing-children investigations, Maryland State Police visited Randle’s last known address to ensure the child was not at home and to corroborate the mother’s report.
Troopers met with Randle’s boyfriend, 44-year-old Cedrick Antoine Britten, at his home on Elk Nest Drive in Cecil County. Britten told officers the child had left with her mother. During their investigation, troopers reviewed security camera footage from outside the house, which showed only Randle leaving the property. The child was never observed on camera.
When authorities searched Britten’s home, they noticed a strong odor of cleaning products, specifically bleach. A search of Britten’s vehicle revealed a child-sized blanket with reddish-brown stains consistent with blood. Britten claimed the blanket did not belong to him and said he received it from a stranger in a park during summer 2024.
Under questioning by Delaware authorities, Randle eventually admitted the kidnapping report was false. According to charging documents, she confessed to physically striking Nola with a belt approximately 15 to 20 times on June 9 at Britten’s residence. Randle stated that “after she finished striking Nola with the belt, Nola had fallen to the ground and was not moving.”
The mother told investigators she picked up her daughter and realized the child was no longer breathing. She called for Britten, and both attempted CPR but realized the child was dead. The couple then placed Nola’s body in Britten’s vehicle and drove around before returning home and putting the body inside a blue suitcase.
Randle left the suitcase on the basement stairs overnight before asking Britten to dispose of it the following day. Britten took the suitcase and later sent Randle a photograph of a park, according to court documents.
On June 11, Maryland State Police interviewed Britten, who drew a map indicating where he believed the child’s body had been disposed. Using this map, investigators located the remains in the vacant lot behind Britten’s home around 1:45 p.m. The remains were described as consistent with an emaciated child and completely wrapped in Saran Wrap.
Randle has been charged with first- and second-degree murder, first-degree child abuse resulting in death of a minor under 13, and other related charges in Maryland. She was also charged with filing a false police report in Delaware and is being held on $1 million bail while awaiting extradition to Maryland.
Britten faces charges including accessory to first- and second-degree murder after the fact, failure to report child death, and other offenses. In a move that went against the state’s request, a judge granted Britten $75,000 bond and released him on home detention. He later received additional charges on July 2, including child abuse involving death, with some charges carrying a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The case has deeply affected the North East community, where neighbors expressed shock at the allegations. Residents described both suspects as giving no indication of potential violence. The Cecil County community held an emotional vigil for Nola on June 16, organized by local residents and CASA of Cecil County.
Nola’s father, Dominique Dinkins, established a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral expenses and legal costs. He described his daughter as having an infectious energy that connected with everyone she met, stating she made him a better father. The fundraiser has raised nearly $8,000 as of recent reports.
Both defendants could face life sentences if convicted. The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit continues its investigation, with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore conducting autopsy procedures to determine the official cause and manner of death.