Mom Charged with Murder After Previously Claiming Her 3-Year-Old Daughter Had Been Kidnapped: Police

A mother has been charged with murder after previously claiming that her 3-year-old daughter had been kidnapped, according to police.

On Wednesday, June 11, Maryland State Police (MSP) stated in a news release that Darrian Randle, 31, had been arrested and “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,” in connection with the disappearance of her 3-year-old daughter, Nola Dinkins.

Randle, of Newark, Delaware, previously alleged that on the evening of Tuesday, June 10, “she had pulled over after Nola became upset and was attempting to comfort her when an unknown white male armed with a handgun approached the vehicle and took Nola. The suspect then fled in a dark-colored SUV driven by a white female,” the New Castle County Police (NCCPD) said in a news release shared on Facebook on Wednesday.

“An Amber Alert was issued for 3-year-old Nola, prompting an overnight investigation by the New Castle County Division of Police Criminal Investigations Unit and the FBI. Detectives later determined Darrian’s account was false,” the news release continued.

Police said the Amber Alert was canceled earlier on Wednesday, adding that the case, which was turned over to the MSP, was now being investigated as a homicide. The NCCPD confirmed Randle has also been charged with one count of felony falsely reporting.

The MSP said in Wednesday’s release that a second person, Cedrick Antoine Britten, 44, of North East, Maryland, has also been arrested. He has been “charged with accessory to first and second-degree murder after the fact, failure to report child death, and other related criminal charges,” per the Facebook post.

Britten is Randle’s boyfriend, according to ABC-affiliate station WPVI, citing police.

The MSP stated human remains were found on Wednesday afternoon, but the body, consistent with that of a young child, was yet to be identified.

“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,” per the MSP news release.

“At 1:45 p.m. [local time] 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 release continued.

Related Stories

He Was Just 16 Months Old When He Died. 55 Years Later, His Mother’s Disturbing Letters Came Back to Haunt Her

Mom Who Said She Wanted Missing Toddler Found ‘Happy and Alive’ Was Just Convicted of Killing Him

The MSP added in the release, “Randle is currently in police custody at the New Castle County Division of Police awaiting extradition,” while “Britten is in police custody in Maryland and awaiting transport to the Cecil County District Court for an initial appearance.”

The NCCPD said on Facebook that Randle had been “committed to the Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution in lieu of $1,000,000 cash bail.”

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.  

A preliminary court hearing for Randle has been scheduled for Monday, June 23, according to online inmate records.

The MSP didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.