Mom Arrested For Allegedly Helping Her Son Beat Up Another Kid

A 31-year-old mother has been arrested for allegedly helping two juveniles, including her son, beat up another child in Flagler County, Florida.

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office (FSCO) arrested the Palm Coast mother, identified as Ashley Ruffin, on a felony child abuse and misdemeanor battery charge Wednesday, CBS 12 reported.

The woman's son and his friend allegedly started a fight with a third boy at the sports complex at Indian Trails Middle School, investigators said. Ruffin allegedly held the unnamed victim as her son and his friend beat the third boy up.

Investigators also said that an eyewitness claimed they saw Ruffin holding a Taser during the fight, but it was not mentioned if it was used, the outlet said.

The FCSO's Indian Trails Middle School Resource Deputy was reportedly approached on Sept. 8 by the victim’s mother. She alleged that two juveniles and one of the boys’ mothers had attacked her son. The victim's mother claimed that the woman exited her vehicle and grabbed her son by the hair and arm as the two other kids continued to beat him up, WESH reported.

All those involved in the incident were called by School Resource Deputy Cooper to shed light on how the fight started.

According to the victim, he was sitting with his friends when two kids approached him. One of them allegedly started hitting him, and he got up and pushed the boy to the ground. The victim claimed that other boys then began hitting him as well. Upon seeing that he was being ganged up on, friends of the victim came over to help him.

The victim alleged that at one point, the mother of one of his attackers grabbed him and allowed the other boys to beat him up.

FSCO deputies said that one of the parents of the juvenile suspects was unaware of the incident. They later identified the mother who allegedly held the victim as Ruffin.

Police also said juvenile witnesses confirmed that an adult female held the victim and allowed the other boys to hit him. The female was identified as Ruffin, WESH reported.

Ruffin was arrested and transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility near Palm Coast, Florida, where she spent the night. The juveniles involved in the incident may also face battery charges.

"There is zero excuse for an adult, especially a parent, to be physically involved in a juvenile dispute," Sheriff Rick Staly said. "Kids need to have leadership from their parents and be taught how to handle disputes properly. I doubt she will receive a mother of the year award."

On Friday, Ruffin went live on Facebook and slammed the "biased, one-sided" media coverage of the altercation, Insider reported.

"I'm in so much pain because I would never hurt a child and I had to spend a night in jail, undeservingly, away from my newborn baby, my three boys, and this is so wrong," she said.

Ruffin claimed that her 12-year-old son was attacked by a fellow student last week after a basketball game and that she saw a video of her son getting beat up.