Adrian Peterson Told Cops: I Will Never ‘Eliminate Whooping My Kids’

NFL Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, according to a police report, hid nothing because he believed he did nothing wrong.

The stunning details of Adrian Peterson’s interview with police are coming in. 

As you know, Peterson was indicted today on charges he inflicted “extreme” cuts on his 4-year old son that were so extensive the medical examiner has labeled it “child abuse.”

Houston Police interviewed Peterson back in May, and initially the grand jury declined to indict him but for an unknown reason today they did.

CBS Houston reports the incident began after “Peterson’s son had pushed another one of Peterson’s children off of a motorbike video game. As punishment, Peterson grabbed a tree branch – which he consistently referred to as a ‘switch’ – removed the leaves and struck the child repeatedly.”

LOOK: Police Release Photos Of ‘Extensive’ Cuts In Adrian Peterson Child Abuse Case

The child told police the leaves were stuffed into his mouth, “Daddy Peterson hit me on my face,” he was also hit with a belt and that “there are a lot of belts in Daddy’s closet.” The 4-year old reportedly told his mother that Peterson “likes belts and switches” and “has a whooping room.”

The beating allegedly resulted in numerous injuries to the child, including cuts and bruises to the child’s back, buttocks, ankles, legs and scrotum, along with defensive wounds to the child’s hands. Peterson then texted the boy’s mother, 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.”

CBS also reports that Peterson “was very matter-of-fact and calm about the incident, appearing to believe he had done nothing wrong and reiterating how much he cared about his son and only used ‘whoopings’ or ‘spankings’ as a last resort.”

When Peterson was asked how he felt about the incident, he said, “To be honest with you, I feel very confident with my actions because I know my intent.” He also described the incident as a “normal whooping” in regards to the “welps” on the child’s buttocks, but that he felt bad immediately when he saw the injuries on the child’s legs. Peterson estimated he “swatted” his son “10 to 15” times, but he’s not sure because he doesn’t “ever count how many pops I give my kids.”

Peterson went on to reiterate again how much he loves all his kids, and only “whoops” them because he wants them to do right. Toward the end of the interview, Peterson said he would reconsider using switches in the future, but said he would never “eliminate whooping my kids . . . because I know how being spanked has helped me in my life.”

The Montgomery County Sheriff Office in a statement said that “a warrant was issued and entered for the arrest of Adrian Peterson” for “a charge of injury to a child.”

 

Image by Joe Bielawa via Flickr