NEWARK, Del. – A mother is in custody after allegedly lying to authorities about her daughter’s kidnapping.
According to New Castle County Police, on the night of June 10, officers responded to a kidnapping report on Gender Road. Darrian Randle, the mother of 3-year-old Nola Dinkins, reportedly said she pulled over because her daughter “became upset.”
Randle told officials she attempted to console Dinkins when an unknown man armed with a gun approached the vehicle and kidnapped the child before fleeing in an SUV with a female driver.
Authorities issued an Amber Alert for Dinkins and launched an investigation. According to police, detectives later determined Randle’s statement was false, and the Amber Alert was lifted.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by WPVI-TV, Randle admitted to lying about the abduction and claimed she falsely reported the incident to “divert attention from her boyfriend.”
In a June 11 update, Maryland State Police stated that while investigating the possible kidnapping, officials discovered a body in Cecil County but are awaiting positive identification.
Maryland State Police have taken over the case, which is now being investigated as a homicide.
Randle is charged with one count of felony false reporting out of Delaware. She was booked into Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution on a $1 million bail.
