INDIANAPOLIS -- A fight between two boys landed the mother of one of the boys in jail last week after she encouraged the fight and refused to break it up, police said.

Amy Meehan was charged with neglect and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Her four children were taken from her home, at least until she goes before a judge on Thursday, 6News' Rick Hightower reported.

"That was the hard part -- being told I couldn't see my kids when I've never once harmed them," Meehan said.

The boys, ages 9 and 10, used large sticks to fight, police said. Neighbor Clare Roberts, who called police, said Meehan tossed the stick to her son.

"The mother was egging it on, telling her child to hit the other child," Roberts said. "I tried to explain to the kids that's not how you settle disputes."

Meehan told a different story to authorities.

"He had done hit him and had a stick and was coming after him," she said. "All I thought was self-defense. I would never let my kids be bullies. That's not acceptable in my home."

Meehan said she took the stick away from her son but admitted encouraging him to defend himself, even using some techniques he had learned in martial arts.

"It's not only against the law, it's a bad message to send to children to encourage them to fight," said Indianapolis Metro police Sgt. Paul Thompson.

Meehan's boyfriend, Charles Brown, said the fight stemmed from an ongoing neighborhood feud.

"The police didn't bother to talk to none of the neighbors on this side of the street or nobody else," Brown said. "They just talked to them, and that's all."

"I would die for my children. I would stand at the gates of hell for my children," Meehan said. "I even went to jail for my child, but I'm not going to let the neighborhood kids hurt him."