What began as an Amber Alert for a missing 3-year-old girl in Delaware has taken a devastating turn. Authorities announced Wednesday, June 11, that the alert for Nola Dinkins has been canceled, and the case is now being investigated as a homicide.
The disturbing update came after police determined that the child’s mother fabricated the story that initially triggered the statewide alert. According to the New Castle County Police Department, the mother claimed on Tuesday evening that an armed white man abducted Nola from her vehicle in the 500 block of Gender Road in Newark, Delaware.
She alleged the man approached her while she was comforting Nola in the car and took the child at gunpoint, fleeing in a dark-colored SUV driven by a white woman.
However, after working overnight alongside the FBI and Maryland State Police, investigators concluded that the mother’s account was false.
“Detectives determined that the initial account of the incident given by the mother was false,” said Andrea Botterbusch, spokesperson for the New Castle County Division of Police, during a press briefing Wednesday.
Officials have not disclosed how they came to that conclusion, but confirmed that there is no longer any danger to the public. While no suspects have been named and no charges have been filed, law enforcement has now launched a homicide investigation focused on Nola’s disappearance.
The Maryland State Police are now leading the case, and additional details — including the current whereabouts of the mother or the child — have not been made public.
This heartbreaking development has shaken both the Newark community and broader audiences who responded emotionally to Wednesday night’s Amber Alert. Authorities have thanked the public for calling in tips and say more information will be released as the investigation progresses.
All inquiries are now being handled by the Maryland State Police Office of Media Communications.
The tragic shift from an urgent search for a missing child to a homicide investigation has left many demanding answers, and hoping for justice for Nola Dinkins.
