JACOB BRANCH - 17 yo - Rio (S of Bogalusa) LA

Public’s help sought in locating missing teen


By Richard Meek
The Daily News
Published/Last Modified on Sunday, November 7, 2010 1:07 AM CDT
The family of a 17-year-old boy missing from the Rio community is asking for the public’s help in locating the teenager.

Jacob Branch, a junior at Ben’s Ford Christian School, has been missing since Monday night, Branch’s grandmother, Barbra Lee, said. Lee said Branch was last seen between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday when he walked away from the house.

“All he left with was the clothes on his back,” Lee said. Branch is the son of Heather and Steven Branch of Rio.

Jacob Branch has played varsity football and basketball in the past but Lee said he is not participating in any sports this year. Branch is 5 feet 3 inches, 127 pounds, has brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on Branch’s whereabouts should call Lee at 735-6179 or 516-9588 or call the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office at 839-3434.
http://gobogalusa.com/articles/2010/11/07/news/doc4cd494bf43a38299442812.txt

Missing teen found Ben’s Ford student located in Okla.



By Richard Meek
The Daily News
Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, November 10, 2010 1:04 AM CST
A 17-year-old boy who ran away from his home in the Rio community has been located in Oklahoma, according to his mother.

Heather Branch said her son, Jacob Branch, who had run away from home Nov. 1, called the family Monday from Jay, Okla., saying he was “tired of walking.” Heather Branch said her son had hitchhiked and walked to Oklahoma, perhaps in the hope of seeing a girl he had met last year at a family wedding and has been in contact with ever since.

Heather Branch said Jacob told her he did not meet up with the girl while in Oklahoma.

The Branches have relatives about an hour from Jay, and they picked up Jacob on Monday evening. He spent Monday night with his relatives and returned home Tuesday afternoon.