The Minnesota Vikings on Friday deactivated running back Adrian Peterson for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots. A warrant was issued for Peterson’s arrest.
Earlier in the day, a Montgomery County, Texas, grand jury indicted Peterson of reckless or negligent injury to a child.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the boy lives with his mother in Minnesota and had traveled to Texas with Peterson several months ago when the incident is alleged to have taken place.
A reporter for a Houston radio station tweeted Friday that he had read the police report and heard recordings of Peterson’s calls to police.
Nick Wright tweeted: The alleged injuries are to Peterson’s 4-year-old child. Peterson allegedly “whooped” his child with a “switch” from a tree.
The Vikings said they were aware of the charges and released a statement on Friday afternoon.
“The Vikings are in the process of gathering information regarding the legal situation involving Adrian Peterson. At this time, we will defer further questions to Adrian’s attorney, Rusty Hardin.”
Hardin issued a statement shortly afterward that read:
“Adrian Peterson has been informed that he was indicted by a grand jury in Montgomery County, Texas for Injury to a Child. The charged conduct involves using a switch to spank his son. This indictment follows Adrian’s full cooperation with authorities who have been looking into this matter.
“Adrian is a loving father who used his judgment as a parent to discipline his son. He used the same kind of discipline with his child that he experienced as a child growing up in east Texas. Adrian has never hidden from what happened. He has cooperated fully with authorities and voluntarily testified before the grand jury for several hours.
“Adrian will address the charges with the same respect and responsiveness he has brought to this inquiry from its beginning. It is important to remember that Adrian never intended to harm his son and deeply regrets the unintentional injury.”
Sports Radio 610 reported that, according to the police report, Peterson’s son had pushed one of the running back’s other children off a motorbike video and was punished by Peterson, who grabbed a tree branch, removed the leaves and “struck the child repeatedly.”
However, the child offered a different account in the police report of what happened, saying “Daddy Peterson hit me on my face,” that “there are lots of belts in Daddy’s closet and added that his father put leaves in his mouth and hit him with the switch while the boy’s pants were down. The 4-year-old also told police that his father likes belts and switches and has a whipping room.
Peterson did not practice Thursday but was present at the team’s facility on Friday. News of the indictment broke hours after practice ended.
The first time the grand jury examined the case, it decided there was not enough evidence to indict. But the District Attorney’s office looked at it a second time and this time the panel in Montgomery County accepted the criminal charge, the Star Tribune reported.
A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Peterson is in his ninth season. He has led the NFL in rushing yards twice. He won the Most Valuable Player award in 2012.
Last year, a 2-year-old son of Peterson died in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the victim of alleged abuse by a man who was dating the boy’s mother, according to police reports.