Visits: 5
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Police are investigating two incidents of alleged child abuse at the home of Kansas City Chiefs star wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
“The club is aware of the investigation involving Tyreek Hill,” a team spokesman said in a statement to HuffPost on Friday. “We are in the process of gathering information and have been in contact with the league and local authorities. We will have no further comment at this time.”
According to police reports obtained by KCTV5, police officers were called to Hill’s home in suburban Overland Park, Kansas, twice this month to investigate incidents involving a juvenile. The first report, dated March 5, pertained to reported child abuse and neglect and listed Hill and his fiancée, Crystal Espinal, under “others involved.”
The second report, dated March 14, regarded alleged battery of a juvenile at the same address. Hill is not listed on that report, but Espinal is listed again under “others involved.”
An unidentified source familiar with the situation told The Kansas City Star that the alleged battery involved Hill and Espinal’s 3-year-old son and resulted in a broken arm.
The Overland Park Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hill, 25, has a history of violence and abuse. In 2015 he pleaded guilty to domestic assault and battery of Espinal, who was pregnant at the time. She told police he hit her in the face and stomach, sat on her and choked her.
He received three years of probation and, as part of his plea deal, agreed to attend a 52-week batterer intervention course. The domestic violence conviction was dismissed and expunged from his record last year after he completed his probation requirements.
Strangulation is a uniquely terrifying and dangerous form of violence common in abusive relationships. Women who have been choked by their partners are seven times as likely as other abused women to become a homicide victim, according to a 2008 study. Experts believe men who strangle their partners to be among the most dangerous abusers out there.
In 2016, during his probation, Hill signed a four-year $2,586,220 contract with the Chiefs. His base annual salary as of 2019 is $1,965,036.
The Chiefs are reportedly in negotiations with Hill for what NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said could be a “record-setting” new contract.
While the #Chiefs plot moves for the 2019 season and beyond, they do have some big deals coming: They have begun negotiations with star WR Tyreek Hill on what’ll be a record-setting deal, source said. Along with tagging Dee Ford, shopping Justin Houston, that’s a consideration.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 5, 2019
Spotrac’s market value calculator estimates that could entail a five-year $95.5 million offer from the Chiefs. That would surpass the contract for Odell Beckham Jr., who became the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history when he signed a five-year, $90 million extension with the New York Giants in August 2018.