The mother of 3-year-old Nola Dinkins, who was at the center of an Amber Alert in Delaware, now faces murder charges after reportedly admitting to detectives that she killed her daughter and disposed of her body.
Darrian Randle told Newark Police on Tuesday that her daughter had been kidnapped by an armed man, prompting police to issue an Amber Alert.
Maryland State Police went to the child's home in North East, Maryland, "to ensure that the child was not mistakenly left at home and to make contact with anyone at the residence to corroborate her story."
Randle's boyfriend, Cedric Britten, answered the door at the home and, when asked, showed security camera footage of the day Nola was reported missing.
The footage showed Randle getting into the car, but not Nola.
"[Nola] was never observed on camera," writes law enforcement in court documents.
Troopers were allowed to search the home, but asked to put on "booties" to "keep the house clean."
The toddler was not in the house, but one corporal with the Maryland State Police did note that he smelled bleach.
Police detectives then asked to search Britten's BMW, which they were permitted to do.
They found a pink and white blanket with a smear that looked like blood. Britten denied the blanket was his, claiming it was given to him by a homeless man in the park.
During an interview with the mother, Randle confessed to investigators that the kidnapping story wasn't true.
She admitted to hitting Dinkins with a belt 15 to 20 times on Monday, leaving the child unresponsive.
Britten attempted CPR on the child, but it was too late.
They then drove around with the girl's body in the trunk of the car, before putting her body into a blue suitcase and leaving it on the basement stairs overnight.
According to charging documents, Britten sent Randall a picture of a park the next day for Randall to dump the body.
Britten drew a picture mapping out where the body was disposed of, leading to its discovery.
Police wrote the body found in North East on Wednesday was "consistent with an emaciated child and [was] completely wrapped in saran wrap." Maryland State Police are still awaiting identification on the body.
The remains had been found inside a suitcase.
Randle is currently awaiting extradition to Maryland, and Britten was released to home detention after posting bond.
This story was originally published by Amanda Engel with the Scripps News Group in Baltimore.
