'I’m not a child abuser,' says reinstated running back Adrian Peterson
Minnesota Vikings star facing charges of child abuse for injuries he caused when disciplining his son
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, reinstated by the NFL team on Monday, declared he was not a child abuser despite charges of injuring his four-year-old son with blows from a wooden switch.
Peterson, who was deactivated from the playing roster for Sunday’s 30-7 home loss to new England, is able to return to practice with plans to play this Sunday at New Orleans.
Regardless of what others think, however, I love my son very much and I will continue to try to become a better father and perso
The Vikings sidelined Peterson last Friday after he was charged with reckless or negligent injury to a child after using a tree branch to spank his son with blows so hard he still bore the marks days later.
“I am not a perfect son. I am not a perfect husband. I am not a perfect parent, but I am, without a doubt, not a child abuser,” Peterson said in a statement released by the Vikings.
“I am someone that disciplined his child and did not intend to cause him any injury. No one can understand the hurt that I feel for my son and for the harm I caused him. My goal is always to teach my son right from wrong and that’s what I tried to do that day.”
Peterson surrendered himself to Texas authorities on Saturday morning and was released on bail with a trial not expected until next year, after the end of the season.