NORTH MIAMI, Fla. – A mother is facing charges after allegedly attacking a teenager during a fight involving her daughter outside the North Miami Public Library on Monday, authorities confirmed Wednesday.
The incident unfolded around 4 p.m. when investigators said 39-year-old Merline Diegue Pierre went to the library, located at 835 NE 132nd Street, after learning her 15-year-old daughter had been involved in a fight earlier that day.
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According to North Miami police, Diegue Pierre and her daughter confronted the other 15-year-old involved in the fight outside the library.
After a verbal exchange, authorities said the two teenagers began fighting again while Diegue Pierre stood by and did nothing to stop the altercation.
During the fight, a 15-year-old bystander reportedly tried to intervene, but Diegue Pierre allegedly grabbed the girl by her hair and threw her to the ground.
Police said the mother then removed her shoes, charged at the teenager, and began punching her in the face before slamming her to the ground and continuing the assault.
The attack was captured on surveillance cameras and filmed by witnesses on their cellphones, authorities said.
Police confirmed that Diegue Pierre went to the North Miami police station on Tuesday for an interview.
After being read her Miranda rights, she reportedly admitted to being at the scene and made a statement that was redacted in her publicly released arrest report.
Jail records show she is facing three counts of contributing to the delinquency and dependency of a child and one count of child abuse without great bodily harm.
As of Wednesday, Diegue Pierre was being held on a $6,000 bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Police have not disclosed the reason for the fight between the two teenagers.