(NORTH EAST, MD) – Maryland State Police have arrested two in connection with a missing child, recently identified in an Amber Alert in Delaware.
The accused are identified as Darrian Randle, 31, and Cedrick Antoine Britten, 44, of North East, Maryland. After consultation with the Office of the State’s Attorney in Cecil County, arrest warrants have been issued for Randle and Britten.
Randle is charged with first- and second-degree murder, first degree of child abuse resulting in death of a minor under thirteen, and other related criminal charges. Randle is currently in police custody at the New Castle County Division of Police awaiting extradition.
Britten is charged with accessory to first- and second-degree murder after the fact, failure to report child death, and other related criminal charges. Britten is in police custody in Maryland and awaiting transport to the Cecil County District Court for an initial appearance.
Yesterday evening an Amber Alert was issued for 3-year-old Nola Dinkens through the New Castle County Division of Police after her mother reported her kidnapped in Newark, Delaware. The New Castle County Division of Police Criminal Investigations Unit, along with the FBI, began an intensive investigation that continued through the night. Maryland State Police from the North East Barrack and the Criminal Enforcement Division Northern Region assisted in the investigation. Information gleaned throughout the investigation revealed the initial report provided by Randle was false and the Amber Alert was subsequently cancelled.
The New Castle County Division of Police requested Maryland State Police to respond to Randle’s last known address in North East where they made contact with Britten. Further investigation led to potential criminal activity which subsequently led to the recovery of human remains in a vacant lot in North East, Maryland.
At 1:45pm today, investigators from the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit located human remains consistent with that of a young child. Positive identification of the remains is pending autopsy results by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore.
The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit is leading the investigation with assistance from the FBI and New Castle County Division of Police in Delaware. Crime scene technicians from the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division responded to process the scene for evidence. Troopers from the North East Barrack and from the Criminal Enforcement Division Northern Region also provided assistance with the investigation.
The investigation continues.
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CONTACT: Office of Media Communications, msp.media@maryland.gov
