Report: Tyreek Hill Temporarily Loses Custody of Son Amid Allegations of Child Abuse
Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill temporarily lost custody of his three-year-old son amid allegations of abuse, KCTV5 reports. The network was at the courthouse during Hill's custody hearings and when he requested visitation on Wednesday.
Multiple sources confirmed to the network that the ruling came after an emergency hearing as part of a 'child in need of care' case in Johnson County involving Hill's son. According to reports, Hill's child has been temporarily placed in another home, pending further court action.
The court describes these types of cases as situations in which they "must determine if the child is ‘in need of care’ (meaning, that the child is without proper care or supervision, or has been abused, or is truant, or other statutory reasons). If the court finds the child to be a CINC, the court has tremendous authority to make orders for the child and family. The court may order the child and parents to obtain counseling or treatment. The court may order the child placed in the custody of a relative or in state custody.”
Hill is under investigation for two incidents of suspected child abuse after Overland Park Police were called to his home on March 15 for an alleged battery involving a juvenile.
Officers were called to the same address on March 5 to investigate a report of child abuse or neglect. Hill's name is directly listed on that report but it was closed three days later when prosecution was declined, according to documents obtained by KCTV5.
Hill's name was not listed on the more recent battery report, but his address was listed as the location. Hill's fiancee, Cyrstal Espinal, was listed on both investigating reports obtained by the network. The alleged incident was against the couple’s three-year-old son and reportedly resulted in a broken arm.
The 25-year-old receiver has not been charged with a crime in the investigation, but the Kansas Department of Children and Families is also investigating the incident.
"I can only confirm we received a report and an investigation is ongoing," DCF spokesperson Mike Deines said in March.
The Chiefs said they were aware of the investigation when the news broke but told Sports Illustrated that they had no additional comment regarding his loss of custody. The NFL also declined to comment on the ruling.
Hill pleaded guilty in 2015 to domestic assault and battery by strangulation after punching and choking Espinal on Dec. 11, 2014. Espinal was then eight weeks pregnant with their son. Following his arrest, Hill was dismissed from the Oklahoma State football and track and field teams and received three years probation after his plea.
As part of his plea agreement for the domestic abuse charge, Hill attended a 52-week batterer intervention course and was supervised for two years. Upon completion of his probation requirements, the felony conviction was dismissed in August 2018 and the charge was wiped from his records.
Drew Rosenhaus, Hill's agent, and a spokesperson for the agency also declined to comment when contacted by Sports Illustrated.