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Man charged with murdering one child, abusing another

Goldsboro Police say Umoja Jihad Bryant, 32, was arrested after the deceased 4-year-old girl was taken to the hospital and an autopsy determined the child died from “multiple blunt force trauma.”
Goldsboro Police say Umoja Jihad Bryant, 32, was arrested after the deceased 4-year-old girl was taken to the hospital and an autopsy determined the child died from “multiple blunt force trauma.”

A Goldsboro man was arrested on murder and child abuse charges on Friday after a dead child was taken to the emergency department at UNC Health Wayne.

Goldsboro Police say Umoja Jihad Bryant, 32, was arrested after the deceased 4-year-old girl was taken to the hospital and an autopsy determined the child died from “multiple blunt force trauma.”

During the investigation, a second child was discovered to have several injuries and was treated at the hospital and released. Officials say the 5-year-old boy lived in the same home as the girl who was killed.

Bryant is charged with one count of first degree murder and one count of felony child abuse in the death of the 4-year-old girl. He was also charged with one count of felony child abuse for the injuries to the 5-year-old boy.

Bryant is being held without bond on the murder charge, plus an additional $1 million bond on the two child abuse charges.

He is scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday.

Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.