At a Friday night vigil, mourners in Sioux Falls remembered a little boy they called Ty. The 2-year-old is reported to be the son of Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. The Sioux Falls Argus Leader said the memorial brought more than 100 people, many families with children, to a park near the Big Sioux River. Several mourners said they were friends with the boy’s mother, and some remembered the toddler from pre-school. Vanja Srdic, 27, described Ty as “very happy, very strong-willed, so much potential, a go-getter little boy. His mom was his world.”
Joseph Patterson, 27, the Sioux Falls man facing assault charges in the case, will face more charges next week. Prosecutor Tom Wollman told the The Sioux Falls Argus Leader the assault is now a homicide. The boy, identified in the criminal complaint as T.R.R,. died at 11:43 a.m Friday, while Patterson was in court. Court officials were unaware during the proceeding that the child had died.
Wollman said the boy had head injuries consistent with being beaten. Patterson has a violent history, including two convictions for domestic abuse, according to the Star Tribune. Those cases involved another woman with whom Patterson has a child.
In a brief media appearance after practice Friday, Adrian Peterson asked for privacy, and said he would “without doubt” be playing against the Panthers Sunday. The Star Tribune quotes him saying he relies on football and his teammates. “It gets me through tough times,” he said. “Just being around the guys in here, that’s what I need in my life, guys supporting me and just being able to go out and play this game I love.”
Peterson has had to rely on football during many tough times.
On Saturday, Peterson asked the public to stop tweeting picture of his son Adrian Jr.
