**Johnston County Father Charged in Children’s Death Did Not Properly Register as Homeschooler**
JOHNSTON COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) — The I-Team has learned that Wellington Dickens III, the father charged with killing his children in Johnston County, did not properly register as a homeschooler as required by North Carolina law.
According to the NC Division of Non-Public Education, there is no record of Dickens III’s name or address in their system. This lack of registration means there was less accountability and fewer opportunities for the state to conduct check-ins on the family.
“It appears that people who are not caring for their kids would want to remove them from school settings. And so, you know, it’s interesting that these aren’t actually, you know, normal homeschool families. There are people who are trying to hide something,” said Matthew McDill with North Carolinians for Home Education.
McDill explained that while most homeschool families maintain strong community and family support, cases like this involve individuals who isolate themselves. He emphasized the importance of community vigilance, stating, “When we as a community, as neighbors, see the warning signs, right, then we need to take action so that the children can be safe.”
Both Dickens and his late wife have extended family members in the Triangle area. ABC11 reached out to the family to inquire if they had any concerns about the children’s safety in recent months or any further comment on the case. So far, there has been no response.
https://abc11.com/post/wellington-dickens-iii-father-accused-killing-4-children-didnt-register-homeschool/18088249/
