The 2-year-old son of Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson died Friday of injuries suffered when he was beaten two days earlier, allegedly by his mother’s boyfriend.
The child died in a hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D., about 11:43 a.m. He had been hospitalized in critical condition with head injuries since arriving by ambulance on Wednesday night. The child’s name was not released.
The tot was apparently a “secret” child, according to media reports. Peterson was not sure the child was his until recently.
Peterson, who is not married, has another son about the same age named Adrian Peterson Jr., and a daughter, Adeja, with a different woman.
The boyfriend of the child’s mother, Joseph Robert Patterson, 27, who has a history of domestic incidents, called 911 about 5:45 Wednesday to report the child was choking in his apartment, where he had been caring for the boy, authorities said. The child was unresponsive when Sioux Falls Police and EMS arrived.
Patterson was arrested because the child had injuries that were determined to be consistent with abuse, police said.
Peterson, the National Football League’s MVP last season, was subdued in talking to the media at his locker room Friday.
“I really appreciate all the support that I’ve been receiving from fans, the Vikings organization,” said Peterson, who missed practice on Thursday. “This is a private matter and I would ask you all to please just respect my privacy.”
The running back, who has rushed for 421 yards this season — second in the league — said he will play Sunday against Carolina.
“Football is something I will always fall back on,” he said. “It gets me through tough times.”
After receiving condolences from fellow NFL players and other sports stars, like LeBron James, Peterson, 28, expressed his thanks on Twitter, calling pro football players “a fraternity of brothers.”
Patterson was initially charged with felony counts of aggravated battery of an infant and aggravated assault. On Friday, South Dakota State’s Attorney Thomas Wollman told the Daily News that his office will be “looking at additional charges” in light of the child’s death.
“My office will be reviewing police reports and medical reports,” Wollman said, calling the case a “very, very tragic event.” He said he has worked other gut-wrenching cases, “but this is tops.”
Patterson was jailed in lieu of $750,000 bail at a hearing on Friday morning. Wollman said he expects a grand jury to return an indictment before Patterson’s next court date, Oct. 23.
Wollman’s office filed motions Friday that ordered Patterson to serve year-long sentences in two prior domestic violence cases in which sentence had been suspended.
— With News Wire Services
On a mobile device? Click here to watch video.
