NFL Star Adrian Peterson Loses His Son To An Assault By Mother’s Boyfriend

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.”