Missing teen girl was found dead. Now, her mom faces charges in North Carolina

A missing 17-year-old girl was found dead — and now her mom faces charges in North Carolina, officials said.

Oniesha Branch is charged with obstructing justice and accessory after the fact in her teen daughter’s homicide case, the Roanoke Rapids Police Department said Feb. 21 in a news release.

The development comes more than a week after officials said 27-year-old Monquette Douglas was charged with first-degree murder in the teen’s death. Police in their news release didn’t list attorney information for Douglas or Branch.

The case dates to Feb. 7, when teenager Quameisha Branch disappeared. She was considered “missing and endangered” after she was last seen near downtown Roanoke Rapids, roughly 80 miles northeast of Raleigh.

Then on Feb. 10, officers searching an area along Old Highway Road in neighboring Northampton County found Quameisha Branch’s body. She “died of an apparent gunshot wound to the head,” police said at the time.

“Based upon our investigation, a murder warrant was issued for the arrest of (Monquette) Douglas,” officials wrote.

Douglas, a Garysburg resident, was believed to be “armed and dangerous” before he turned himself in to Halifax County deputies. Officers said Douglas had been dating the teen’s mom.

Roanoke Rapids Police Chief Bobby Martin told McClatchy News in an email that he wasn’t “at liberty to discuss the role the mother played in regards to case integrity.”

An investigation continues, and anyone with tips is asked to call police at 252-533-2810 or Crime Stoppers at 252-583-4444.

Teen’s body found two weeks after she vanished, NC cops say. Half-brother is charged

Toddler’s ‘suspicious death’ leads to murder charge for mom’s boyfriend, NC cops say