Tabitha Anne Bennett Under Fire For Instigating Fight

Tabitha Anne Bennett from Pasco County, Florida, a 34-year-old mother instigated a physical fight between her 13-year-old daughter and another 14-year-old girl. Bennett claimed that her daughter was being bullied and wanted to give her an opportunity to “get even,” reported China Topix.

Bennet has been charged with child abuse, battery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after she contacted the 14-year-old girl via Facebook and set up a meeting place where the two girls would fight. April 12, 2015, the day of the fight Bennett drove her daughter to the meeting place and video recorded the fight. Tabitha Anne Bennett occasionally appeared in the video and held a knife to ward off anyone who tried to interfere and protect her daughter if she needed to.

According to ABC News, the 14-year-old involved believed she was going to die when she saw the mother with the knife said Detective William Orndorff.

Tabitha Anne Bennett participated in the fight as well by kicking the other girl and encouraging it. The fight was recorded and posted online.

Shanda Lane, Tabitha Anne Bennett’s sister, was present at the fight as well and claims that Bennett had done everything she could to keep the fight between the girls from escalating. According to Tampa Bay Times, Lane had this to say of her sister, “Everyone’s making her out to be this hurtful mom and she’s not.”

Sheriff Chris Nocco disagreed with Lane’s interpretation of the events and said, “If Tabitha’s out there trying to claim bullying, she’s lying. She’s the bully, and she was charged for it.”

Bennett has currently been released on $10,500 bail.