A mother was accused of leaving her children alone at a motel while making deliveries.
Police allege Michae Edelle Branham left her children inside the room at the Super 8 on Outlet Center Drive in Smithfield on September 21, while she worked as a delivery driver in Wake County, according to JoCo Report. The motel sits at 735 Outlet Center Drive, an 80-room property off Interstate 95 near the Carolina Premium Outlets, according to the Johnston County Visitors Bureau. Smithfield sits about 30 miles southeast of Raleigh, meaning the drive between the motel and the Wake County delivery route Branham was allegedly working would typically take 30 to 40 minutes each way, per the visitors bureau's account of the area.
Clerk Accused of Blocking Officers From Checking on Kids
When officers arrived to check on the children, they say the front desk clerk on duty, 43-year-old Shawna Marie Weatherly of Raleigh, initially refused to let them see the kids. Officers say that refusal led to a citation against Weatherly for resisting, delaying or obstructing a public officer, though she was released at the scene rather than taken into custody.
Under North Carolina General Statute § 14-223, obstructing a public officer carrying out official duties is a Class 2 misdemeanor that can carry up to 60 days in jail and fines, according to legal guidance published by the North Carolina General Assembly.
Child Abuse Charges
Branham was arrested and charged with two counts of misdemeanor child abuse, then released on a $1,500 secured bond.
The charges against Branham fall under North Carolina General Statute § 14-318.2, which makes it a Class A1 misdemeanor for a parent or caretaker to create or allow a substantial risk of physical injury to a child under 16, according to the North Carolina General Assembly's statute text. It is the highest misdemeanor classification in the state, carrying up to 150 days in jail and discretionary fines even for a first offense.
In Johnston County, that intake process runs through the county Department of Social Services, which maintains a 24-hour emergency response system through 911 and on-call social workers for after-hours child welfare reports, according to the agency. It remains unclear whether Johnston County DSS has opened a formal child assessment or pursued any custody action in this case.
DoorDash Rules on Passengers
The case surfaces a tension familiar to many gig economy workers: DoorDash's own corporate guidelines allow drivers to bring passengers, including their own children, along on delivery routes, as long as those passengers do not handle food orders or make deliveries themselves, according to Tasting Table.
It is not the first time Hoodline has covered a case of a parent facing charges after a young child was found unattended at a motel; a Bridge City mother was indicted over a wandering child earlier this month in a similar circumstance. How the court weighs Branham's child abuse charges and Weatherly's obstruction citation will play out in court.
