Father Speaks Out After Mother’s Arrest In Connection With 3-Year-Old's Death

A heartbroken father spoke out on Thursday after he found his three-year-old daughter’s body in a trash can two days ago. Kyle Nolan said he not only lost Riley Nolan, but he lost his mother. 

Oklahoma City police arrested Becky Vreeland, 60, on Tuesday for murder after her story about her granddaughter’s death did not match the evidence inside her home.   

“I want to know why?” said Kyle Nolan, the victim’s father. “How could a three-year-old make you so mad? At any point, doing anything?” 

Nolan said that is the first question he wants to ask his mother when he faces her again. He went to Vreeland's home on Tuesday to see his children after being released from jail. 

“I was so happy to see my other two kids and Riley just wasn’t there,” said Nolan. “I was told she was asleep, and I said go wake her up.”  

What happened next, Nolan said he will never get out of his head. 

“We ended up finding her, we ended up finding her in the recycle bin,” said Nolan. “I can’t sleep at night. Every time I close my eyes, I just think about her.”  

Nolan said his daughter was a sweet, easy-going child with a heart of gold.  

“I can never imagine her even making you upset,” said Nolan. “She just, she was a child that never got on your nerves. She never wanted anything, she just wanted to be there.” 

Nolan believed her death could have been prevented. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services placed Riley and two of her siblings in their grandmother's care. 

“As far as I know there have been reports to DHS about them being with her,” said Nolan. “I’m so angry at the situation. I feel like I should have been there to protect her.” 

DHS could not comment about specifics, only that at the time of Riley's death, she was not in state custody. 

The child’s family has started a GoFundMe to help pay for burial expenses.