A father in North Carolina has been charged with the murder of his four children after he called 911 and confessed to the horrific act.
Wellington Delano Dickens III, 38, was taken into custody at his residence in Zebulon, located around 20 miles from Raleigh. According to the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, he informed the 911 dispatcher that he had killed his children.
When law enforcement arrived around 10 p.m., Dickens indicated that the children were in the trunk of his car, parked in the garage.
Officers discovered what appeared to be multiple bodies in the trunk of a Honda sedan.
The deceased children were identified as Dickens’ biological children: Leah, aged 6; Zoe, aged 9; and Wellington, aged 10, along with his 18-year-old stepson, Sean Brassfield.
Miraculously, Dickens’ 3-year-old son was found alive and unharmed inside the house.
Initial investigations revealed that the bodies seemed to have been there for a prolonged period. Authorities believe the children died on May 1, based on court documents.
Dickens faced a preliminary hearing Tuesday afternoon, where he was charged with first-degree murder and is currently being held in jail without bail.
Records indicate that Dickens’ wife, Stephanie Rae Jones Dickens, passed away in April 2024, leaving behind five children, who lived in their family home.
Jones-Dickens’ obituary mentioned that she “passed away suddenly at home.” This followed the death of Dickens’ father in a truck accident a year earlier.
Charles Moore, Dickens’ great uncle, noted that when he last saw him a year prior, Dickens seemed to be doing well. “Like everyone else, I was just shocked,” Moore remarked, reflecting on the unexpected nature of the tragedy.
However, Moore acknowledged that Dickens had faced difficulties since his military service. He suggested that these challenges could have impacted Dickens significantly.
Debra Riley, a neighbor, expressed her sorrow for the children and her concern for the surviving little boy. “My heart breaks for the children… it’s heartbreaking,” she said.
Another neighbor, Fran Majkowski, described the unsettling discovery as shocking for the community. “I walk by that house almost every day,” she shared, recalling how she noticed the family’s quiet presence in the neighborhood.
Majkowski didn’t have a close relationship with the Dickens family but remembered when they moved in, noting how seldom she saw the children outside.
Despite his reclusiveness after his wife’s passing, Majkowski mentioned reaching out to Dickens to offer support during that difficult time, highlighting the sense of community in their new area.
Reilly also observed that Dickens became more solitary following his wife’s death.
Dickens is set to appear in court on Wednesday, facing possible life imprisonment without parole or even the death penalty if convicted.
