The Johnston County District Attorney announced on October 27, 2023, that he will pursue the death penalty against Wellington Dickens III, a 29-year-old man accused of murdering four of his children in Zebulon, North Carolina. Dickens was arrested after he called 911 and confessed to killing them, leading officers to discover the bodies in the trunk of his vehicle located in the garage of his home on Springtooth Drive.
Authorities identified the victims as Leah Dickens, aged 6, Zoe Dickens, aged 9, Wellington Dickens IV, aged 10, and Sean Brasfield, the 18-year-old stepson of Dickens. According to investigators, the children died at different times between May and September of 2023, although District Attorney Jason Waller indicated in court that the timeline has been expanded to include October.
Investigative reports detail a series of tragic events leading to the children’s deaths. Dickens reportedly told detectives that he accidentally killed Leah in May, followed by Zoe, whom he smothered with tape for asking about her sister. He claimed that Wellington IV and Sean then starved to death after refusing to eat. A surviving sibling, aged 3, was found unharmed at the residence, according to police.
Questions remain regarding the possible existence of a fifth child. Dickens allegedly confessed to burying a one-month-old infant named Riley Dickens in the woods years prior, following a decline in health. Although searches of both Dickens’ property and a neighboring area have not yielded any remains, challenging weather conditions may have hindered these efforts.
The Dickens family had a history of avoiding medical intervention. According to court documents, both Dickens and his late wife, Stephanie Dickens, declined traditional medical care. Stephanie passed away in March 2024 due to natural causes related to complications from a miscarriage, which Dickens reportedly did not seek treatment for. He was not charged following her death but did face scrutiny after the couple was investigated in 2016 for refusing necessary medical care for Zoe’s jaundice.
During the court hearing on October 27, Waller refrained from commenting on potential charges related to Riley’s death. The children’s maternal grandmother was present in the courtroom, where Dickens, wearing an orange and white jail jumpsuit, made no verbal statement but acknowledged her with a nod.
District Attorney Waller emphasized the case’s complexities, citing “unique pieces of evidence,” including the body bags used to transport the children, which the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office has taken significant steps to preserve. The next hearing in Dickens’ case is scheduled for March 27, 2026, and will likely proceed without his presence.
This tragic situation has drawn significant media attention, as the community grapples with the implications of such devastating events.
