The Minnesota Vikings and Adrian Peterson have come to the mutual decision that it would be better for him to not be around the team while he is deactivated in the wake of his arrest on a charge that he injured his four-year-old son while allegedly disciplining the boy with a switch.
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Since Friday’s bombshell report of Peterson’s indictment on a charge of reckless or negligent injury to a child, chilling details have emerged about what happened during and after the incident in which Peterson allegedly inflicted visible injuries on his son, who was visiting Peterson in Houston at the time.
Peterson reportedly admitted to police that he gave his son a “whooping” after the boy pushed another of Peterson’s children off a motorbike video game. This “whooping” reportedly left the child with lacerations on the thighs and buttocks, visible bruising and defensive injuries to the hand.
Peterson contacted the child’s mother via text message afterward to explain the incident (Via CBS Houston):
"…saying that one wound in particular would make her “mad at me about his leg. I got kinda good wit the tail end of the switch.”Peterson also allegedly said via text message to the child’s mother that he “felt bad after the fact when I notice the switch was wrapping around hitting I (sic) thigh” and also acknowledged the injury to the child’s scrotum in a text message, saying, “Got him in nuts once I noticed. But I felt so bad, n I’m all tearing that butt up when needed! I start putting them in timeout. N save the whooping for needed memories!”In further text messages, Peterson allegedly said, “Never do I go overboard! But all my kids will know, hey daddy has the biggie heart but don’t play no games when it comes to acting right.”"
Peterson’s son told police:
"“Daddy Peterson hit me on my face.” The child also expressed worry that Peterson would punch him in the face if the child reported the incident to authorities. He also said that he had been hit by a belt and that “there are a lot of belts in Daddy’s closet.” He added that Peterson put leaves in his mouth when he was being hit with the switch while his pants were down. The child told his mother that Peterson “likes belts and switches” and “has a whooping room.”"
Peterson himself expressed some remorse when talking to police, saying he felt bad about what happened but at the same time insisting he would continue “whooping” his kids because his parents whooped him.
According to a source, the Vikings remain supportive of Peterson through his tribulations (via PFT):
"“The Vikings support him because they know how much he means to the team and that he’s a good person,” the source said."
Peterson likely will not face trial until next year. The team reportedly will make a decision on his future with them some time on Monday.