LAKELAND -- The mother of Mercades Nichols, one of the girls involved in the 2008 videotaped beating case in Polk County, has been arrested and charged after allegedly beating her daughter.
Deputies arrested Christina Garcia, 35, Saturday night after she called the Sheriff's Office alleging that Nichols had battered her, but deputies said they believe it was Garcia who was the "primary aggressor."
Deputies interviewed everyone involved, and said during two incidents Saturday afternoon, Garcia had grabbed Nichols by the hair, kicked her multiple times and spit on her.
According the deputies, Mary Nichols, Garcia's mother, intervened during the first incident, and during the second incident, Mary Nichols, Timothy Szecht and Zachary Ashley broke up the altercation.
The Sheriff's Office said the two alleged incidents between Mercades Nichols and Garcia took place at Garcia's mother's house in Highland City, where Nichols lives.
Deputies said Garcia had asked her mother to take her back to her own home, and to take all the phones with her so that Nichols did not call the authorities while they were gone.
According to the Sheriff's Office, Garcia decided to call the authorities, herself, for unknown reasons.
Nichols and Ashley were among eight teens charged in the beating of a 16-year-old girl in March 2008. The beating was videotaped, allegedly so they could post the footage online.
Ashley was accused of being a lookout during the incident, and charges against him were later dropped.
Nichols took a plea deal, admitting to battery and tampering with a witness. Prosecutors dropped kidnapping charges against her in exchange for the guilty plea.
Deputies said Nichols told them she had no plans to call the authorities on Garcia Saturday, because "Garcia was her mother, and was dealing with numerous stressors."
Garcia is charged with two counts of battery and domestic violence. She bonded out of jail just before 3 p.m. Sunday.
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