Mom accused of cheering daughter on during schoolyard fight

ALBUQUERQUE, NM (KTRK) -- A New Mexico mother is facing felony charges after she was caught on video allegedly cheering her young daughter on during a fight.

KOAT reports a student at Taft Middle School in Albuquerque shot video of two girls in a violent fight.

Deputies say the two had argued earlier in the day before things got physical.

A teacher can be seen in the video trying to break up the fight, but is punched and is dragged to ground in the process.

Meanwhile, deputies say one of the girl's mothers just let the fight continue.

She's seen in the video wearing a black hoodie with white stripes.

Authorities say Nicole Morlan appeared to be cheering and encouraging her daughter to fight.

Since the fight, the two students have been disciplined and Morlan is banned from school property until the end of the year.

Morlan was arrested after the fight and now faces two felony charges: child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of minors.

If convicted, she could face jail time and thousands in fines.

In court, the judge gave Morlan this advice: "M'am you need a lawyer. You need one in the relatively near future."

One parent who viewed the video told KOAT reporter Megan Cruz, "I would stop it right away. I think that's kind of ridiculous."