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Teen charged in Midtown stabbing death has court appearance

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A 16-year-old girl was charged with murder in connection with a stabbing death Wednesday morning in Midtown, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.

Officers received the call for a domestic-related assault just before 2 a.m. from the home in the 300 block of Cherry Street.

Omar Dunbar, 36, has been identified as the victim in the homicide.

When officers arrived they found Dunbar had been stabbed. Paramedics pronounced him dead on the scene.

Deanna Denise Watson, 16, was charged with murder and transported to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office.

Police were called three days in a row for domestic violence.

Neighbors told anchor Liz Foster the stabbing was in self-defense.

Officers told Channel 9 that there were at least four children inside the home, all under the age of 13, when the stabbing happened.

Watson ran to her neighbor’s home after police said she stabbed Dunbar to death.

A woman, who asked not to be identified, told Foster that she’s called the police on her neighbor’s boyfriend after the kids said he’s abusive.

“She was distraught,” the woman said of Watson. “She was in shock. I don’t want to go into details.”

Neighbors said Watson’s mother was at work at the time.

Police were called to the apartment for domestic violence three days in a row before the stabbing death.

“It was like a big commotion,” neighbor Kiwaun Holloway said. “Somebody fell and the next thing you know, somebody screamed.”

Police said that after questioning the 16-year old, they charged her with murder.

"She didn't mean what she did," the neighbor said. "I know she didn't mean what she did. She just feels like she's the protector."

“She's not just going to come up and stab someone numerous times," Hollway said. "It was self-defense."

"I'm glad the children weren't hurt ... I’m upset that it had to lead to this and for a child to go through this," the neighbor said.

"Police have been called, DSS has been called, it just wasn't enough," friend Kamela Friday said.

Watson's family was not in the courtroom when she made her first court appearance Thursday.

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