GOLDSBORO, N.C. — A third suspect has been arrested in connection with a child abuse investigation involving a 20-month-old Goldsboro child who suffered serious burns and was hospitalized last month.
According to the Goldsboro Police Department, detectives identified Terry Combee, 27, of Goldsboro, as an additional suspect during the ongoing investigation. Arrest warrants were obtained, and members of the department’s Special Enforcement Unit located and arrested Combee without incident.
Following her arrest, Combee appeared before a Wayne County magistrate and was charged with two counts of Felony Child Abuse – Gross Negligence / Serious Bodily Injury. She received a secured bond of $30,000 for each charge, totaling $60,000 secured bond. Her first court appearance is scheduled for June 10, 2026.
The investigation began on May 19, 2026, when a 20-month-old child was taken to the emergency department at UNC Health Wayne for treatment of second-degree thermal burns. The child was later transferred to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill for specialized treatment at a pediatric burn clinic.
As the investigation progressed, police arrested Kenneth Russell, 36, of Goldsboro, and Jasmyne Pace, 25, of Goldsboro, on May 29.
Russell was charged with:
- Felony Child Abuse – Inflicting Serious Bodily Injury
- Felony Child Abuse – Inflicting Serious Physical Injury
- Felony Child Abuse – Gross Negligence / Serious Bodily Injury
He was ordered held without bond.
Pace was charged with one count of Felony Child Abuse – Gross Negligence / Serious Bodily Injury and received a $40,000 secured bond.
The victim is identified only as a 20-month-old juvenile from Goldsboro. Authorities have not released additional details regarding the circumstances that led to the child’s injuries.
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