It has been hard to keep up with the constant flow of details surrounding this tragedy. I have a heavy heart as I write this, as I am sure you all do while you read. The story is starting to piece itself together and there are some details that just jump out at you. Before going any further let me once again send my condolences on behalf of everyone at #IFWT to the Peterson family and the family of the son’s mother. Included in this gallery are pics of Joseph Patterson, who is the accused in this senseless crime, as well as the baby himself. The name of the baby is still being withheld. The pics are after the jump in the gallery for you to see. Check the pics and read the following details.
@IamJoeSports
Ok, so first thing. Joseph Patterson was home alone with the child with this assault occurred. People have already started trying to blame the mother, but she was not home. She and Patterson were in a relationship and living together. Prior to today, there was no reason for her to ever think her child was in danger being alone with Patterson. He had a previous record of child abuse, as there was a report he hit a 3 year old child of a previous girlfriend so hard, that the baby needed ice to keep down any swelling and welts. There is no indication however, that the mother of Adrian’s son , Ashley Ann Doohen, had any knowledge of those previous incidents. Patterson does have a rap sheet. Court documents reveal the 27 year old has been arrested multiple times on various charges. He was arrested in 2004 for violating a protection order, but that was later dropped by the prosecutor. A 2012 arrest for aggravated assault was also dismissed by a prosecutor. Patterson has served time in jail for Eluding officers in 2010. He was also sentenced to five days in jail after pleading guilty to simple assault last year. A previous girlfriend said he threatened to kill her numerous times. But again, the relationship with Adrian Peterson’s baby mother was still somewhat new, so we have no way to know if she knew about Joseph Patterson’s true past. Patterson first told police and the mother that the boy choked on candy. Police were able to determine that was a lie very quickly. They were able to determine the injuries were consistent with being shaken, or even hit with a blunt object.
Next, there is a possibility that Adrian Peterson himself had actually just found out he had a son with Doohen literally earlier this week. Ashley Ann Doohen lived in Minnesota for a while, and at one point she had a casual relationship with A.P. Reports say the mother did not know who the father was until recently when a paternity test was done. The two year old boy appeared to be a secret, even from Peterson himself.
Another crazy twist is Joseph Patterson himself has a son named Porter. The son is from a previous relationship. So how he could physically abuse a little boy knowing that if someone did that to his own son he would want to hurt them is unbelievable. He’s being held on a $750,000 bond. Patterson was in court in Lincoln County, South Dakota on October 11, reports CBS South Dakota. He due back in court on October 30. Patterson could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted. The injuries suffered by Adrian Peterson’s son are consistent with child abuse, according South Dakota police spokesman, Sam Clemens. Those charges however, were before the child wound up passing away.
At the mothers request, the organs of the two year old are being donated to people who need them. The infant had no brain activity since October 8th, which was the day the actual assault occurred. Once the mother realized the baby would never recover from being brain dead, she asked that doctors pull the plug so maybe his organs can save someone else. This story literally is making my eyes water as I type this. Nothing is forever and we take alot of things for granted. Spend some time with loved ones tonight and say a prayer for Peterson’s son.
