Jury selection opened Monday in a Cecil County courtroom, where a packed pool of prospective jurors faced the woman accused of killing her 3-year-old daughter. From the defense table, Darrian Randle watched as the process began in the 2025 death of Nola Dinkins, whose remains were recovered in North East, Maryland, in June 2025. Prosecutors say the case hinges on a false kidnapping report and charging documents that describe the child’s remains being found in a suitcase. The size of the jury pool and the clear emotions in the room set the tone as attorneys started working through potential panelists.
Jury selection and courtroom mood
More than 100 potential jurors filed into the Cecil County courtroom on Monday while both sides searched for an impartial jury. According to the court, 74 people said they already had strong feelings about the case, and 20 reported they were worried about seeing graphic evidence. Randle sat beside her attorney and followed along as questioning began, according to CBS Baltimore.
How investigators say the case started
Police in New Castle County, Delaware, issued an Amber Alert after Randle reported on June 10, 2025, that her daughter had been taken at gunpoint in Newark. Maryland State Police say troopers were then asked to check Randle's last known address in North East, which led to searches that ultimately uncovered human remains in a nearby vacant lot. The Maryland State Police described that timeline and said their homicide unit led the investigation with help from Delaware authorities and the FBI, according to Maryland State Police.
Evidence recovered
Charging documents and local reporting state that troopers searching the home of Randle's then-boyfriend, Cedrick Britten, found a child-sized blanket with a reddish-brown smear that appeared to be blood, and later located the remains in a dark-blue suitcase. Authorities said the remains were consistent with an emaciated child wrapped in Saran Wrap, according to court papers. Those details came from local outlets that reviewed charging documents and police reports, as reported by WBALTV.
What the charging papers allege
Court documents obtained by local news organizations state that Randle admitted during an interview that the kidnapping story was false and said she struck Nola roughly 15 to 20 times with a belt before the child became unresponsive. The papers allege Randle placed Nola in a suitcase and later asked Britten to get rid of it, and that Britten gave investigators a map showing where he said he left the bag. Those allegations appear in court filings and were reported by local outlets, as outlined by NBC10 Philadelphia.
Charges and legal stakes
Randle faces multiple counts in Maryland, including first- and second-degree murder and first-degree child abuse resulting in death. Several of the charges carry potential life sentences, according to a press release from the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office. The office also said Randle was transported to Maryland to face the charges and is being held without bond as the case moves forward. The State’s Attorney's release outlines the full set of charges brought against Randle and Britten, as detailed by the Cecil County prosecutor’s office, per the Cecil County State's Attorney.
What to expect next
With jury selection underway, attorneys are expected to keep vetting potential jurors through the week while the court handles pretrial issues that will help decide what evidence the panel is allowed to hear. Both sides declined to offer more comment in court on Monday. The public record is likely to grow quickly as testimony begins and additional filings land in the case docket in the coming days.
