Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson is believed to be in South Dakota early dealing with what sources describe as a "tragic" family situation involving his two-year-old son. Multiple media outlets have reported the NFL's reigning MVP is in Sioux Falls monitoring the well-being of a young child critically injured his home earlier this week.
The Argus Leader reports police have charged Joseph Robert Patterson with aggravated assault and aggravated battery of an toddler in connection with the apparent beating of his girlfriend's 2-year-old son. FanSided.com and TMZ are reporting the toddler is Peterson's son, while other outlets are just referring to the injured boy as a "family member." The two-year-old was unresponsive when medical officials arrived, and is reportedly in critical condition.
Sioux Falls Lt. Blaine Larsen told The Leader Patterson, 27, was the only one home with the boy on Wednesday when he was injured. The boy lived there with his mother and Patterson, who is now being held at the Minnehaha County Jail without bond.
"It was a fairly new relationship," Larsen told The Leader, adding that Patterson called police just before 6 p.m. Wednesday and reported the child had suffered choking injuries.
Blaine said police consider the injuries to be "consistent with abuse" and not accidental.
The team announced Thursday that Peterson was in South Dakota but didn't provide any additional details or a timetable for when they expected him to return.
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