Allentown Facebook Fight: Allentown woman who allegedly ordered daughter to hit girl over Facebook comments is facing trial
An Allentown woman is facing charges after allegedly instigating an Allentown facebook fight between two middle school girls. It’s hard to believe that a mother could do this, as social media can be stressful enough for children, teenagers, and young adults.
According to research from the Kaisey Family Foundation, American youths between the ages of 8 and 18 years spend an average of 7 ½ hours per day using electronic devices, including smart phones, MP3 players, and computers. These can provide a lot of cyber experiences that cause stress in teens.
Today’s teens now compare their academic performance and everything else about their existence to other teens 24 hours a day through updates on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, you name the social network.
70% of students report seeing frequent bullying online.
81% of young people think bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person.
Over 80% of teens use a cell phone regularly, making it the most common medium for cyber bullying.
With these types of statistics it’s no wonder that parents are concerned about how social media affects our children. Most parents are trying to find a solution, which makes what happened during the Allentown Facebook fight so unbelievable.
Authorities charged Dakkimah Beamon, of the 500 block of Elliger Street, with two counts of harassment and single counts of corruption of minors and conspiracy. The 34-year-old is free after posting $5,000 bail.
City police said the victim was walking home with a friend from Trexler Middle School near 10th and Washington streets on April 17 when Dakkimah Beamon’s daughter approached them.
The victim of the Allentown facebook fight told police Beamon’s daughter accused her of posting things on Facebook about her sister. The victim said that she had the wrong person.
Dakkimah Beamon, the mother of the daughter who accused the victim of posting things on Facebook, pulled up in her car at 10th and Washington streets. She told her daughter to hit the victim, but the daughter didn’t immediately hit her. When Beamon’s daughter hesitated Beamon again ordered her daughter to hit the girl. This is what ultimately prompted the Allentown Facebook fight to begin.
At the direction of 34-year-old Beamon, Beamon’s daughter punched the victim several times during the Allentown Facebook fight. Beamon’s daughter also pulled her hair, according to records.
The victim’s friend tried to break up the fight, but Beamon pushed her away. After Beamon’s daughter injured the victim, Beamon and her daughter eventually drove away.
Now, the Allentown mother is facing trial. She is charged with urging her daughter to fight a middle school enemy she believed was posting comments about her on Facebook.
Beamon appeared before District Judge Patricia Engler and waived two counts of harassment and one count each of corruption of minors and conspiracy to Lehigh County Court.
Allentown police said the victim reported that she was walking home on April 14 from Trexler Middle School when a girl accused her of posting comments about her on Facebook. The victim said she had the wrong person.
Although Dakkimah Beamon did not physically assault the victim, she certainly will be held criminally responsible, as you’ve seen above, and should could also be held civilly responsible. Solicitation is a misdemeanor. In this case, Dakkimah Beamon, solicits her daughter, a minor, to commit the crime of assault, which resulted in injuries. If the crime is committed, then the solicitor is guilty of whatever crime the minor committed. In this case, the crime was assault and resulted in injury. For this reason Dakkimah Beamon can be sued in their individual capacity for whatever damage was done during the fight.