North Carolina father confesses to killing 4 kids, allegedly buried 5th in woods
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A North Carolina father who called 911 to confess to killing his four children and hiding their remains in a car trunk at his home near Zebulon allegedly told investigators he also buried his fifth child behind the house, according to a report.
Court records show Wellington Delano Dickens III, 38, was charged with four counts of first-degree murder after law enforcement officials said he confessed to killing his children over several months.
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office reported on social media that deputies responded to Dickens’ home after 10 p.m. on Oct. 27 after Dickens told a 911 dispatcher that her four children were dead and their bodies were in a car parked in her garage.
Deputies found Dickens at the home with his 3-year-old son, who was alive and unharmed.
When deputies searched the garage, they discovered what appeared to be human remains in the trunk of a vehicle. Investigators said the remains had likely been there for some time.
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Mug shot of Wellington Delano Dickens III, 38, who authorities say confessed to killing his children several months before his arrest on Oct. 27. (Johnston County Sheriff’s Office)
In a 911 call recording obtained by WRAL-TV, a man who identified himself as Wellington Dickens gave the address of the home and allegedly told the dispatcher that he had killed his children.
During the interview, Dickens reportedly told the officer: “There’s a lot to explain, but in short, it’s probably my fault. Bad. It started with me being over-disciplined – that’s all.”
Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell said at a news conference late last month that investigators believe the deaths were spread over several months, starting in May and ending in September.
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Law enforcement officers block the road to Wellington Delano Dickens III’s home; where remains were found after Dickens told authorities that he killed his four children in Zebulon, N.C., on October 28. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
Bizzell said he didn’t yet know why Dickens killed the children, “but as the sheriff, as a father, and as a grandfather, I can stand here and say there is no reason for a father to kill his children.”
Dickens’ wife, Stephanie Rae Jones Dickens, died in April 2024 from complications of a miscarriage, authorities said. Investigators believe the murders occurred between May and September of this year.
Neighbors described the family as reclusive and said the children were homeschooled. Deputies said the home had previously been visited when Stephanie Dickens died, but her death was determined to be from natural causes after she refused medical treatment.
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Law enforcement officers block the road to Wellington Delano Dickens III’s home; where remains were found after Dickens told authorities in Zebulon, N.C., that he had killed his four children. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
“The neighbors said they never saw them go outside and they were homeschooled so they were just kept in the house,” Sheriff’s Capt. Don Pate said.
In documents obtained by the court NBC NewsDickens allegedly confessed to burying his fifth child in the woods behind his house. Dickens allegedly told investigators that her baby was in poor health before wrapping the baby in plastic or paper and burying her behind the house.
The death was never reported and relatives told investigators they had not seen the baby since Dickens moved out, authorities said. The baby’s remains were not found, according to NBC News.
Fox News Digital is working to obtain the indictment and charging documents.
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“This case impacted every deputy, every investigator, and every first responder who went to that home,” Bizzell said. “This is something you’ll never forget.”
Details of how the children died have not been released, but officials said the state medical examiner’s office is continuing to examine the remains and determine the causes of death. Authorities also said the search for the fifth child will continue when weather conditions improve, according to court documents obtained by NBC News.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
