A University of Houston football player has been charged with allegedly assaulting his pregnant girlfriend after she refused to take an abortion pill, according to reports.
Carmello Brooks, a 19-year-old defensive linebacker for the Houston Cougars, allegedly confronted his girlfriend, Nariah Harley, at his apartment Thursday after learning she was pregnant. The incident came about a month after Brooks was charged in connection with an encounter involving another pregnant woman, KTRK reported.
During Monday’s court hearing, a hearing officer testified that the 275-pound student-athlete allegedly grabbed Harley’s arms, threw her to the floor and sat on her to hold her down.
The confrontation reportedly began after Harley told Brooks she would not take an abortion pill, KPRC reported.
Police said they observed visible injuries on Harley. She has since disputed the allegation that Brooks caused them and asked prosecutors to drop the charges against him.
Harley told KTRK she would live with “forever guilt” if the case ended the football prospect’s career. Brooks was suspended from the University of Houston team following the incident.
Harley acknowledged that the couple had an “argument at his apartment,” but said she was responsible for remaining there after Brooks repeatedly told her to leave.
“He then just picked me up and gently put me out the apartment,” she said, adding that the responding officer misinterpreted what happened, in part because she had bruises.
Brooks “actually called the police. He called 911 because I would not get out his apartment,” Harley said.
Brooks, who is from Katy, Texas, now faces a charge of assaulting a pregnant person. He was also scheduled to appear in court Friday for a misdemeanor case stemming from an alleged August confrontation with another pregnant woman.
According to police reports reviewed by KPRC, Brooks went to the woman’s home, became “verbally aggressive towards her” and attempted to leave with her keys.
The woman closed the door, which was damaged during the incident. Police said the damage “appeared consistent with the door handle having been forcefully pulled inward.”
Brooks was charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief in that case. Depending on the extent of the damage, the offense can carry a sentence of up to one year in jail.
Brooks was rated a three-star recruit in high school and was previously ranked the No. 100 defensive lineman in the country, according to his Houston university biography.
“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,” a Houston Athletics spokesperson said.
