1.1k Days Away, 1 Day to Grieve: Let Bryant Bury His Baby from the Passaic River Tragedy
The Issue
A Father’s Nightmare: 3 Years Without a Trial, Now a Daughter to Bury.
On July 29, 2026, our community was shattered. 10-year-old Milian Dula was lost to the current of the Passaic River in Garfield, NJ. After a massive recovery effort, Milian was found yesterday. Now, as our family prepares for the most painful task any parent can face—burying their child—Milian’s father, Bryant Dula, remains locked in a cell at the Bergen County Jail.
The Injustice of the Delay: Bryant has been held in pretrial detention since June 14, 2023. That is over three years—more than 1,100 days—without a single formal charge, a trial, or a conviction. While the Sixth Amendment guarantees a speedy trial, Bryant has sat in "legal limbo" while the state fails to prove its case. He is legally innocent, yet he has been deprived of his life and his family for years.
A Cruel Coincidence: The tragedy of Milian’s passing is compounded by a heartbreaking detail: she was lost on the very day that would have been her late grandfather’s birthday—a man who was himself taken from this family by violence years ago. Having already missed the chance to attend his grandmother’s funeral in 2023, Bryant is now facing the prospect of missing his own child’s burial.
Our Humble Request: This petition is not a demand for an unconditional release, but a plea for basic human decency. We are calling for the Superior Court of New Jersey to grant Bryant Dula an emergency compassionate release to House Arrest with Electronic Monitoring.
This resolution would allow Bryant to:
- Mourn his daughter and support his grieving family during the funeral.
- Ensure Milian is laid to rest with the dignity and love she deserves.
- Continue to fight his legal case from home under the strictest court supervision.
Why Your Signature Matters: By signing, you are telling the Bergen County Prosecutor and the Court that humanity must stand above bureaucratic delay. No parent should be forced to grieve their child from behind bars when the state has failed even to bring them to trial.
Please join us in demanding justice and humanity for Bryant and the family. Let a father bury his child & mourn at home with his family, not behind bars. <3
990
The Issue
A Father’s Nightmare: 3 Years Without a Trial, Now a Daughter to Bury.
On July 29, 2026, our community was shattered. 10-year-old Milian Dula was lost to the current of the Passaic River in Garfield, NJ. After a massive recovery effort, Milian was found yesterday. Now, as our family prepares for the most painful task any parent can face—burying their child—Milian’s father, Bryant Dula, remains locked in a cell at the Bergen County Jail.
The Injustice of the Delay: Bryant has been held in pretrial detention since June 14, 2023. That is over three years—more than 1,100 days—without a single formal charge, a trial, or a conviction. While the Sixth Amendment guarantees a speedy trial, Bryant has sat in "legal limbo" while the state fails to prove its case. He is legally innocent, yet he has been deprived of his life and his family for years.
A Cruel Coincidence: The tragedy of Milian’s passing is compounded by a heartbreaking detail: she was lost on the very day that would have been her late grandfather’s birthday—a man who was himself taken from this family by violence years ago. Having already missed the chance to attend his grandmother’s funeral in 2023, Bryant is now facing the prospect of missing his own child’s burial.
Our Humble Request: This petition is not a demand for an unconditional release, but a plea for basic human decency. We are calling for the Superior Court of New Jersey to grant Bryant Dula an emergency compassionate release to House Arrest with Electronic Monitoring.
This resolution would allow Bryant to:
- Mourn his daughter and support his grieving family during the funeral.
- Ensure Milian is laid to rest with the dignity and love she deserves.
- Continue to fight his legal case from home under the strictest court supervision.
Why Your Signature Matters: By signing, you are telling the Bergen County Prosecutor and the Court that humanity must stand above bureaucratic delay. No parent should be forced to grieve their child from behind bars when the state has failed even to bring them to trial.
Please join us in demanding justice and humanity for Bryant and the family. Let a father bury his child & mourn at home with his family, not behind bars. <3
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Petition created on August 1, 2026