(Memphis) The Department of Children Services is now investigating child abuse allegations after Memphis Police say they witnessed a mother punishing her daughter in the front yard Tuesday.
“She’s being disobedient, not listening to my momma,” said Matthew Mitchell who is the brother of the victim.
According to an affidavit, MPD officers were driving by the house when they witnessed the suspect, 48-year-old Brenda Mitchell, in her front yard with an extension cord wrapped around her hand and arguing with her 16-year-old daughter.
According to the MPD, Mitchell admitted to officers she was trying to discipline her daughter with the extension cord.
The 16-year-old told police that the punishment has happened before.
But according to the victim’s brother and the suspect’s son, Matthew Mitchell, that isn’t what happened.
“It’ wasn’t with an extension cord. She was going to whip her with that but at first she was getting a whipping with a belt. But she was going to whip her with it, but she didn’t whip her with it. She didn’t whip her with it,” said Mitchell.
According to the report, the teen told police her brother punched, choked and held her down during the attack.
Mitchell claims he did not punch or choke his sister but he did participate, “I held her down so my mom can give her the discipline that she needed.”
He was not at the home when Memphis police arrived and he was not arrested.
Reports say the punishment resulted from the teen not attending school.
Mitchell said the situation has grown out of control, “She’s in jail for something that she is supposed to do, she didn’t whip my sister with no extension cord.”
Brenda Mitchell is behind bars on a $3,000 bond for child abuse and neglect as well as domestic assault charges.
The teen is in state custody while DCS investigates the allegations.