Mom Arrested For Pushing 12-Year-Olds To Fight, Claims Girls Were Cyberbullies

By Margaret Hartmann | September 14, 2011 | 2:00pm

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Continuing the moms as fight promoters trend, a Long Island woman has been arrested for allegedly escorting her 12-year-old daughter to a fight on school property this past Sunday and cheering her on during the brawl. Daphne Melin says her daughter was being cyberbullied so, “I’ve taken it upon myself to do what I had to do.” In addition to pushing the girls to fight, that may include Melin assaulting another child in the crowd.

In a video of the fight that circulated online, and adult is heard yelling "Punch her in the face, that’s right!" and "That’s right, kick her right in the face," as two girls brawl outside William Floyd Elementary School. That’s a bit incriminating, but Melin’s lawyer tells the New York Post that the fight started because her daughter is being bullied online. The girls had been arguing over a boy:

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“A group of girls didn’t like the attention that was being paid to my client’s daughter. I don’t know if it’s just attention or he’s dating her but that’s what spurred this — the jealousy and the threats. They were calling her every name in the book.”

Melin says she talked to the school principal about the bullying, but he said he couldn’t do anything because it wasn’t taking place in school.

Obviously, Melin’s only option was to let the girls beat each other senseless. The lawyer says that one girl wrote on Facebook, “We’re going to jump you in school,” and Melin wanted to chaperone the attack “to make sure no weapons were used.” Melin told the New York Daily News, “I’m not the bad person they’re making me out to be,” but that’s a little hard to believe, considering what (allegedly) happened next. Police say that while the girls were brawling, a 12-year-old spectator told Melin, “You shouldn’t be doing this. You should be breaking up the fight,” and she responded by pulling the girl to the ground, kicking her in the head and neck, and spitting on her.

Melin has been charged with endangering the welfare of a minor and attempted assault. It seems entirely possible that her daughter was being harassed online, and it’s unfortunate that administrators didn’t do anything about it. But here’s a pro tip: Kneeing a girl in the head really undermines your argument about trying to keep kids from getting seriously injured.

LI Mom Busted For Egging On Facebook Kiddie Fight, Says Girls Were ‘Cyberbullies’ (VIDEO) [N.Y. Post]
LI Mom Busted Assaulting Young Girl After Egging 12-Year-Olds To Fight Each Other: ‘I’m No Monster’ [N.Y. Daily News]

Earlier: Mom Arrested After Encouraging Son In Front-Yard Fight