DANIA BEACH, Fla. – A mother has been arrested after joining in after her daughter attacked another girl near a school in Dania Beach, authorities confirmed Friday.
Sabrina Thomas, 50, faces charges of child abuse without great bodily harm, battery second subsequent offense and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The incident, which was captured on cellphone video, occurred Tuesday afternoon near Olsen Middle School, which is located at 330 SE 11th Terrace.
According to authorities, Thomas’ daughter threw the other girl on the ground while hitting her in the head and face.
Deputies say Thomas then joined in the fight, also hitting the girl and pulling her hair.
BSO Special Victims Unit detectives investigated the incident and Thomas was taken into custody on Thursday.
According to her arrest report, detectives met with the school’s principal on Thursday who identified the girls in the video.
Thomas’ daughter was allegedly initially involved in a dispute with a 15-year-old girl, who is an eighth grader at the school.
She then turned her attention toward a sixth grader who walked past her and told her, “you can get it too,” before grabbing the girl from the back and throwing her to the ground, the video shows.
Deputies said the attack was over a boy Thomas’ daughter and one of the other girls were dating at the same time.
Authorities said Thomas’ daughter was questioned Thursday and claimed that she attacked the victim because she thought she was going to hit her first.
Instead of breaking up the fight, deputies say Thomas encouraged her daughter to continue in the brutal attack.
The arrest report states that a detective told the girl that the victim could not have initiated the fight because she was in front of her, walking away when she was attacked.
Thomas refused to appear before a Broward County judge on Friday.
Thomas’ sister appeared in court speaking on her behalf saying Thomas should be let out because she can’t afford bond.
Broward County Judge Phoebee Francois told the sister, “The problem is that because she is not here, I can’t even instruct her as to what she needs to do for pretrial release.”
The suspect is expected to appear in court on Saturday and was ordered to stay away from the victim.
RAW FOOTAGE: Cellphone video shows girl being attacked by woman, daughter in Dania Beach. (WARNING: Video contains graphic content. Viewer discretion is advised.)