Inset: Wellington D. Dickens III (Johnston County Sheriff's Office). Background: Multiple law enforcement agencies responding to Dickens' home after he allegedly admitted to killing four of his children (WRAL).
A 38-year-old father in North Carolina accused of killing four of his children, all of whom were found in the trunk of his car last month, has allegedly admitted that he had buried a fifth child in the woods behind his house in 2023.
Wellington Delano Dickens III allegedly made the latest confession after he was arrested and charged with four counts of first-degree murder in the slayings of his three biological children, ages 5, 9, and 10, as well as his 18-year-old stepson.
Applications for search warrants unsealed Monday revealed the grisly new details.
As Law&Crime previously reported, at about 10 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 27, Dickens called 911 and told the emergency dispatcher that he had "killed his children." After identifying himself, Dickens allegedly told the dispatcher his address in the 100 block of Springtooth Drive in Zebulon, North Carolina. The home is about 175 miles east of Charlotte.
"Mr. Dickens stated to deputies that his 3-year-old son was inside the house alive and four of his other children were deceased inside the trunk of a vehicle in the garage of the residence," the Johnston County Sheriff's Office wrote in a prior news release.
Upon arriving at the address, first responders said they located Dickens' 3-year-old son "unharmed in the residence." But deputies said they soon discovered "what were believed to be multiple bodies in the trunk of a vehicle in the garage."
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Following a preliminary investigation, deputies determined that the human remains from the trunk "had been there for a long period of time."
In an interview with detectives, Dickens said the deaths of his 5-year-old daughter and her 9-year-old sister resulted from punishments he admitted may have been too harsh, Charlotte CBS affiliate WBTV reported.
Dickens reportedly said that sometime in June, he had disciplined the 5-year-old before sending her to her room. He claimed that when he went back to the room to check on her, she was dead. When the 9-year-old made comments to Dickens about her younger sister's death, Dickens reportedly taped the child's mouth shut. When he came back to check on the 9-year-old, he claimed she too had died.
Dickens said the 10-year-old, whom he had been teaching to box, had stopped eating and was the third to die, likely due to malnutrition, Raleigh NBC affiliate WRAL reported.
The 18-year-old was the last to perish. Dickens said the teen died in September, also likely from malnutrition.
Dickens also revealed that shortly after moving to the Zebulon home in May 2023, his newborn son Riley's health deteriorated, Raleigh CBS affiliate WNCN reported. He claimed the boy was about 1 month old when he died. After wrapping Riley's body in paper and plastic materials, Dickens said he brought the baby's body into the woods behind his home and buried him in a grave about 4 feet deep.
Deputies have reportedly been unable to find the boy's body.
The sheriff's office told WNCN that there was not sufficient evidence for additional charges against Dickens, but emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing. Dickens' 3-year-old son was placed in the custody of the state's Department of Social Services.
Dickens' neighbor, Josalyn Tabron, told WNCN that the community never even knew about Riley.
"This is crazy. The whole situation is really crazy," Tabron said in an interview with the station. "The whole situation is really devastating because it's like, you know, how could somebody actually do this to their kids? But it's just crazy."
Dickens is in custody at Raleigh Central Prison, where he is being held without bond. He is currently scheduled to appear in court again on Dec. 4.
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