A 32-year-old Goldsboro man was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with a 4-year-old girl who was dead when she was taken to the emergency room at UNC Health Wayne Thursday afternoon.
Goldsboro police arrested Umoja Jihad Bryant, 32, of Seventh Street, on Friday and charged him with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of intentional child abuse serious physical injury. Bryant is being held in the Wayne County jail without bond on the murder charge and under a $1 million bond for the child abuse charges, said LaToya Henry, Goldsboro public information officer.
Goldsboro police opened an investigation Thursday after responding to a report of a child death at 2:55 p.m. Thursday at UNC Health Wayne.
At first, the child was believed to be 5 years of age. Henry said Friday the child who was found dead was a 4-year-old girl. When police arrived at the hospital, they learned that someone had taken the dead child to the hospital emergency department.
The girl’s body was taken to the N.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, in Raleigh, for an autopsy. The autopsy confirmed that the cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma, Henry said.
The police investigation revealed that another child sustained multiple injuries, a 5-year-old boy, who was also taken to the hospital for treatment and later released. Officers determined that the boy and girl lived in the same home, Henry said.
Bryant emerged as a suspect and was charged with first-degree murder and felony child abuse in connection with the 4-year-old girl.
He was also charged with felony child abuse for the injuries inflicted on the 5-year-old boy, Henry said.
Bryant was arrested without incident by police, including officers with the Goldsboro Police Department Investigative Services Bureau.
Bryant’s first court appearance is Monday at 1:30 p.m. in District Court, Henry said.
Commented
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.