Latest news with #CedrickBritten
CBS News
38 minutes ago
- CBS News
Custody battle ends in brutal murder of 3-year-old Nola Dinkins
On Friday, new details surfaced in the case of 3-year-old Nola Dinkins, the young girl who was reported missing Tuesday night in New Castle County, Delaware. Court documents show there was a years-long custody battle between the child's father and her mother, who was charged with murder on Thursday. The most recent document was filed just three months ago, signed by both parents, agreeing that three-year-old Nola Dinkins would spend four weeks this summer with her father after he petitioned to keep Nola in their home state of Indiana. Then, in June of 2023, Nola's mother, Darrian Randle, filed a notice of relocation to take her daughter out of Indiana. That request was later withdrawn after pushback from Dinkins' father, and the two landed on an agreement to share custody of the young girl, but the document names Randle as the designated custodial parent. Nola Dinkins' final moments On Tuesday night, Randle reported Dinkins was abducted by an unknown man at gunpoint in Delaware, but she later admitted that report was fake. Charging documents reveal Randle was living with her boyfriend, 44-year-old Cedrick Britten of Cecil County. According to the documents, Randle admitted to beating the little girl with a belt until she died, and Britten helped her dispose of the body. It is not clear at this point how long Randle and Dinkins had been living in Maryland or if Dinkins' father knew the two had left the state. However, neighbors say they never saw a woman or child at the home. "I saw him a couple times in the backyard to wave, that kind of thing. But that was it, the only contact I really had," said.. Randle has been charged with murder, assault, and child abuse. He is awaiting extradition to Maryland.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Custody battle ends in brutal murder of 3-year-old girl in Maryland
On Friday, new details surfaced in the case of 3-year-old Nola Dinkins, the young girl who was reported missing Tuesday night in New Castle County, Delaware. Court documents show there was a years-long custody battle between the child's father and her mother, who was charged with murder on Thursday. The most recent document was filed just three months ago, signed by both parents, agreeing that three-year-old Nola Dinkins would spend four weeks this summer with her father after he petitioned to keep Nola in their home state of Indiana. Then, in June of 2023, Nola's mother, Darrian Randle, filed a notice of relocation to take her daughter out of Indiana. That request was later withdrawn after pushback from Dinkins' father, and the two landed on an agreement to share custody of the little girl, but the document names Randle as the designated custodial parent. Nola Dinkins' final moments On Tuesday night, Randle reported Dinkins was abducted by an unknown man at gunpoint in Delaware, but she later admitted that report was fake. Charging documents reveal Randle was living with her boyfriend, 44-year-old Cedrick Britten of Cecil County. According to the documents, Randle admitted to beating the little girl with a belt until she died, and Britten helped her dispose of the body. It is not clear at this point how long Randle and Dinkins had been living in Maryland or if Dinkins' father knew the two had left the state. However, neighbors say they never saw a woman or child at the home. "I saw him a couple times in the backyard to wave, that kind of thing. But that was it, the only contact I really had," said.. Randle has been charged with murder, assault, and child abuse. He is awaiting extradition to Maryland.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Custody battle ends in brutal murder of 3-year-old girl in Deleware
On Friday, new details surfaced in the case of 3-year-old Nola Dinkins, the young girl who was reported missing Tuesday night in New Castle County, Delaware. Court documents show there was a years-long custody battle between the child's father and her mother, who was charged with murder on Thursday. The most recent document was filed just three months ago, signed by both parents, agreeing that three-year-old Nola Dinkins would spend four weeks this summer with her father after he petitioned to keep Nola in their home state of Indiana. Then, in June of 2023, Nola's mother, Darrian Randle, filed a notice of relocation to take her daughter out of Indiana. That request was later withdrawn after pushback from Dinkins' father, and the two landed on an agreement to share custody of the little girl, but the document names Randle as the designated custodial parent. Nola Dinkins' final moments On Tuesday night, Randle reported Dinkins was abducted by an unknown man at gunpoint in Delaware, but she later admitted that report was fake. Charging documents reveal Randle was living with her boyfriend, 44-year-old Cedrick Britten of Cecil County. According to the documents, Randle admitted to beating the little girl with a belt until she died, and Britten helped her dispose of the body. It is not clear at this point how long Randle and Dinkins had been living in Maryland or if Dinkins' father knew the two had left the state. However, neighbors say they never saw a woman or child at the home. "I saw him a couple times in the backyard to wave, that kind of thing. But that was it, the only contact I really had," said.. Randle has been charged with murder, assault, and child abuse. He is awaiting extradition to Maryland.
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
Maryland community "disturbed" after body found during search for missing 3-year-old
A community in Cecil County said it was "disturbing" when they learned the body of a young child was found in their backyard as police searched for a missing Nola Dinkins. Maryland State Police spokesperson Elena Russo said the remains found in a vacant lot on Wednesday, June 11, were consistent with those of a child. The medical examiner is working to identify the body and the cause of death. "Really shocking, especially when you hear the age of the poor child involved," a Cecil County resident told WJZ. "Quite disturbing, that's for sure." Cecil County resident Chloe Elborn said the child's body was found near her home on Dune Road in North East, Maryland. Maryland mother Darrian Randle and her boyfriend, Cedrick Britten, are accused of killing 3-year-old Nola Dinkins and attempting to hide her body before filing a false kidnapping report in Delaware. Documents: Child's body was stuffed in a suitcase According to the police report, Randle put her daughter in a suitcase and left it on the basement steps overnight. She then asked Britten to dispose of the suitcase. Police said Britten took the suitcase and later sent her a picture of a park, and he provided a map of where he left the body. According to court documents, the remains were found around 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, and it was consistent with an emaciated child wrapped in Saran Wrap. "It's just too close to home, like it's like so close to home, literally," Elborn said. "As a mama, I just cannot imagine doing that to your child. It's insane." Randle, 31, is facing several charges, including murder, assault, and child abuse. She is being held on a $1 million bond. Britten, 44, is charged with accessory to murder and has been released on $75,000 bond. "Well, you don't expect it, but you also know that some bad individuals walk among us," a Cecil County resident said. Confession to a child's murder Randle confessed to the murder of her 3-year-old daughter, Nola Dinkins, according to charging documents obtained by WJZ. She told police she faked a kidnapping story, which prompted an Amber Alert in Delaware. She told police that she had hit the child about 15 to 20 times with a belt on Monday, June 6, at the Cecil County home. Randle told police that Dinkins fell to the ground and was not moving. When she realized the child was no longer breathing, Randle called for Britten, who attempted CPR, according to charging documents. Police said Randle and Britten drove around with the child's dead body before returning home. Later, Randle asked Britten to dispose of the body in the suitcase, according to documents. "I was doing a project out by the lane there, and we saw a flatbed come and take a couple of cars away from the residence there," a Cecil County resident said. "And then police units started showing up from forensics, and we realized there was more to it than that." Randle's false police report According to charging documents, Randle called the New Castle County Police Department in Delaware on Tuesday to report that Dinkins was kidnapped at gunpoint off of Gender Road. An Amber Alert was issued, and Maryland State police responded to the child's last known residence in the state, which is standard practice. When troopers responded to a home on Elk Nest Drive in Cecil County, Maryland, they found Britten. He identified himself as Randle's current boyfriend, court documents said. He told troopers the child had left with her mother. Child-sized blanket with blood found Maryland State Police searched Britten's Cecil County home. According to charging documents, Britten did not react when he was told about the abduction allegations. He told officers that "he used to be special forces in the military and has dealt with human trafficking before." During a search of the home, troopers found gloves in a downstairs trash can and another pair in Randle and Nola's room, according to court documents. A "child-sized" blanket with a "reddish brown smear consistent with blood" was found in Britten's car, according to court documents. Britten told police the blanket was not his and he had gotten it from a stranger he met in a park during the summer of 2024.
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
Maryland couple accused of killing toddler, hiding body in a suitcase and making fake kidnapping report, per court documents
A Maryland mother and her boyfriend are accused of killing her 3-year-old daughter and attempting to hide her body before a false Delaware kidnapping report sparked an investigation, according to court documents. Darrian Randle and her boyfriend, Cedrick Britten, are both facing charges in connection with the death of 3-year-old Nola Dinkins after an unidentified child's body was found in a Cecil County, Maryland, park on Wednesday, June 11. False report of Delaware kidnapping leads to investigation On Wednesday, Randle called New Castle Police in Delaware to report that her daughter had been kidnapped at gunpoint. An Amber Alert was issued, and Maryland State police responded to the child's last known residence in the state, as in standard practice. When troopers responded to a home on Elk Nest Drive in Cecil County, Maryland, they found Britten. He identified himself as Randle's current boyfriend, court documents said. He told troopers the child had left with her mother. Darrian Randle allegedly confesses to daughter's murder Charging documents detail how Randle made false and misleading statements during an interview with police. She later confessed that the story about the alleged kidnapping was not true. Randle told police that she had hit the child about 15 to 20 times with a belt on Monday, June 6, at the Cecil County home. She said the Dinkins fell to the ground and was not moving. When she realized the child was no longer breathing, Randle called for Britten, who attempted CPR, according to court documents. After realizing that the child was dead, Randle told police she and Britten put the child in his car and drove around for a while before returning home. According to the police report, Randle put the child in a suitcase and left it on the basement steps overnight. She later asked Britten to take it somewhere. Randle told police Britten took the suitcase and later sent her a picture of a park. Documents show that Britten provided a map of where the child's body was disposed of. Maryland State Police said they found a body in a vacant lot around 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday. According to court documents, the remains were consistent with an emaciated child wrapped in saran wrap. A spokesperson said police are still waiting to identify the body and determine the manner of death. Searching Cedrick Britten's Maryland home According to charging documents, Britten did not react when troopers arrived at his home and informed him of the abduction allegations. He later told police he was calm because "he used to be special forces in the military and has dealt with human trafficking before." When troopers checked Randle's home, they noticed gloves in a downstairs trash can and another pair in Randle and Nola's room, according to court documents. During a search of Britten's car, police found a "child-sized" blanket with a "reddish brown smear consistent with blood," according to court documents. Britten told police the blanket was not his and he had gotten it from a stranger he met in a park during the summer of 2024.
