Babysitter arrested after deadly ‘assault’ on 4-year-old, North Carolina cops say

A 22-year-old babysitter accused of felony child abuse will likely face more serious charges due to the child dying while hospitalized, according to investigators in North Carolina.

The 4-year-old was assaulted Tuesday, Nov. 4, and died two days later, Hudson police said in a news release.

“The Hudson Police Department responded to a residence on Hickman Avenue where an assault involving a 4-year-old took place,” police said.

“Officers determined that the juvenile had sustained serious injuries allegedly inflicted by an adult who had been entrusted with babysitting the child. The victim was initially transported to a local hospital and later transferred to a regional trauma center for advanced medical treatment.”

The child died around 2:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, police said.

Details of the child’s injuries were not released.

“Thomas Lee Bryant was arrested and charged with felony child abuse inflicting serious injury,” police said. “The investigation remains active and additional charges are forthcoming as detectives continue to gather evidence.”

Bryant was identified as the boyfriend of the child’s mother by WSOC.

Hudson is about a 70-mile drive northwest from uptown Charlotte.

This story was originally published November 7, 2025 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Babysitter arrested after deadly ‘assault’ on 4-year-old, North Carolina cops say."