What did Wellington Delano Dickens III confess to?

Wellington Delano Dickens III confessed to killing four of his children over several months and allegedly burying a fifth infant behind his home.

Where were the remains of the four children found?

The remains of four children were found in the trunk of a car parked inside the garage of Wellington Delano Dickens III's home in North Carolina.

When did the deaths of the children in Zebulon occur?

Investigators believe the deaths of the four children occurred between May and September, following the mother's death in April 2024.

Home / Crime and Justice / Father Confesses to Killing Four Children, Hiding Remains

Father Confesses to Killing Four Children, Hiding Remains

20 Nov, 2025

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Summary

A father confessed to killing four children over several months.
Remains of four children were found in a car trunk at the home.
A fifth child was allegedly buried behind the house; remains unfound.

Father Confesses to Killing Four Children, Hiding Remains

Wellington Delano Dickens III has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder after reportedly confessing to killing his four children over several months. Authorities responded to his Zebulon, North Carolina, home on Oct. 27, where they found the 3-year-old son alive and unharmed. Inside the garage, deputies discovered what appeared to be human remains in a car trunk, believed to have been there for some time.

Court documents reveal Dickens also allegedly confessed to burying a fifth child, an infant, behind the house. This death was not reported, and the infant's remains are still missing. Investigators believe the killings occurred between May and September, after the children's mother died in April 2024. Neighbors described the family as reclusive and the children as homeschooled.

Details regarding the cause of death for the four children are pending examination by the state medical examiner's office. The search for the fifth child's remains is expected to resume when weather conditions improve. This case has profoundly impacted the responding officers and investigators.