HAMLET — A woman is facing several criminal charges for her alleged role in a situation that resulted in a teen girl being shot in the back.
Investigators with the Hamlet Police Department say 34-year-old Melissa Medford was driving a vehicle from which her stepson, who is not being named because of his age, was allegedly dealing drugs June 9 on Spring Street.
During the deal, 25-year-old Xavier Malik York allegedly shot a 16-year-old girl in the back — and was shot himself.
According to police, Medford left the scene, dropping her stepson off with a relative and taking York to the hospital.
Medford reportedly turned herself into police after being identified, driving the vehicle used in the incident.
HPD investigators, with help from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, executed a search warrant on Medford’s home and reportedly found a 5.7-caliber allegedly used to threaten the teen girl who was shot while she was recovering in the hospital.
Medford was arrested and charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, child abuse, accessory after the fact, and maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance.
She was given a $50,000 secured bond and has since made bail. Medford is scheduled to appear in court July 13.
The unnamed juvenile has also been taken into custody and charged.
York, who reportedly confessed to firing the round that struck the girl, was arrested June 10 on a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and a misdemeanor charge of simple possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 21.
Police say the case is still under investigation.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
