Mother arrested for encouraging pre-teen fistfight

Shirley - A Long Island mother has been arrested and charged with encouraging a violent brawl between children at the school which the children attend.

In what could only be described as a terrible lack of adult judgment, 32-year-old Daphne Melin of Shirley, Long Island has been charged with attempted assault and endangering the welfare of three children. The fight between the girls was captured on video which, when released, led to the woman's arrest. In the video, the girls can be seen punching and kicking each other, and the voice of an adult can be heard shouting encouragement to the combatants. As the fight drew to an end, however, the same video allegedly shows Melin spitting on, then attacking one of the children present at the fight, which took place on the grounds of the local school where the girls are students. According to ABC News, NY, the woman defended her actions, stating that her daughter has been the victim of cyber-bullying through Facebook, and has been called names and threatened. Melin appeared somewhat remorseful in an interview with ABC News, stating, "I don't encourage fighting at all, it's not the right thing to do." she told the Daily News, "I'm not the bad person they're making me out to be." Melin has been released on bail, and faces arraignment on December 1, 2011 in Central Islip, NY.