Prosecutors allege that Carmello Dedric Brooks, 19, assaulted the victim “intentionally, knowingly and recklessly”
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NEED TO KNOW
- University of Houston football player Carmello Dedric Brooks was arrested on Sept. 17 and charged with felony assault on a pregnant individual, according to Harris County court records
- Prosecutors allege that Brooks, 19, injured the woman by picking her up and slamming her to the ground; a hearing officer later described additional allegations that he squeezed her arms, pinned her down and sat on her
- Houston Athletics said it is aware of the incident and is gathering more information
University of Houston football player Carmello Dedric Brooks has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a pregnant woman.
Brooks, 19, was arrested by the University of Houston Police Department (UHPD) on Thursday, Sept. 17, according to public Harris County court records.
The UHPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Harris County and obtained by PEOPLE, prosecutors allege that Brooks “intentionally, knowingly and recklessly” caused “bodily injury” to the woman “by picking her up and slamming her to the ground.”
The complaint further alleges that Brooks knew the person was pregnant at the time.
Brooks was booked on a felony charge of assault on a pregnant individual and has since posted a $15,000 bond. He is no longer in custody, per court records.
An attorney for the athlete did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Credit: Getty
Additional details about the alleged incident emerged during Brooks’ probable cause hearing on Friday, Sept. 18, according to local outlet Click2Houston.
A hearing officer said the victim had recently learned she was pregnant and alleged that Brooks squeezed her arms, slammed her to the ground, sat on her and pinned her down, the outlet reported.
Responding officers allegedly observed visible injuries on the woman, per Click2Houston.
A spokesperson for Houston Athletics acknowledged the incident in a statement to PEOPLE.
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“We are aware of an incident involving a Houston Football student-athlete. We take all allegations of this nature very seriously and are gathering more information,” the spokesperson said.
Brooks, a sophomore from Katy, Texas, has not been part of the University of Houston football team’s travel squad due to his position on the roster.
Public court records list Brooks’ next hearing date as Monday, Sept. 21.
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