Mom Used Facebook to Arrange Teens' Brawl, Deputies Say

Don King made a name and a fortune for himself arranging and promoting fights for some of the country’s best known boxers.

Like King, a 33-year-old woman from Holiday is accused of promoting a fight. Tabitha Anne Bennett’s alleged actions, however, were rewarded with a trip to jail instead of a big paycheck.

According to Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies, the “fighter” Bennett was facilitating was her own 13-year-old daughter. She is accused of using Facebook to message a 14-year-old girl and tell her she would bring her daughter to a set location so the two could fight.

Bennett, deputies say, did just that and more.

Deputies say on April 12, Bennett drove her daughter to Moog Road and Colonial Hills Drive around 6:40 p.m. so the two teens could throw down. She is also accused of getting out of her car, “holding a folding knife in her hand” and telling those gathered to witness the brawl that she would allow no interference, an email to media from the sheriff’s office stated.

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As the fight got under way, several witnesses recorded the brawl on cellphone cameras. The footage ultimately made its way to social media and also landed in the hands of Pasco detectives.

“During the fight the Bennett was seen yelling and encouraging her daughter to ‘get on top of her’ (the 14 year old),” the sheriff’s office email stated. “At some point, Bennett kicked the 14-year-old female on her upper left side and pulled her to the ground by her hair, which allowed her daughter to get on top of the 14 year old and continue fighting.”

All told, the fight lasted about a minute, an arrest report stated. Bennett admitted to her actions and told deputies she encouraged the fight because her daughter was being bullied, the report noted. While the report says Bennett did not admit to kicking or pulling the 14-year-old’s hair, the video footage indicates otherwise, the report added.

Bennett was brought into custody last Friday and was charged with child abuse, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and simple battery. She was released from the Pasco County Jail Sunday in lieu of $10,500 bond.

The sheriff’s office is not releasing the footage of the fight nor is it identifying the teenage girls involved.

Booking photo courtesy of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office

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