Football Player Accused of Slamming Pregnant Woman to Ground

A University of Houston football player is facing a felony charge after prosecutors accused him of picking up a pregnant woman and slamming her to the ground during a disturbing confrontation.

Carmello Dedric Brooks, 19, was arrested by University of Houston police on Thursday, Sept. 17, and charged with assault on a pregnant individual, according to Harris County court records and multiple Houston-area reports.

Court documents allege Brooks “intentionally, knowingly and recklessly” caused bodily injury to the woman by picking her up and slamming her onto the ground while knowing she was pregnant.

More details surfaced when Brooks appeared in court Friday.

According to ABC13 Houston, the woman had only recently learned she was pregnant. A hearing officer reportedly said Brooks was also accused of squeezing her arms, sitting on her and pinning her down during the encounter.

Local station KPRC reported that responding officers allegedly saw visible injuries on the woman. A video report on the case is available from KPRC 2 Houston.

Brooks was given a $15,000 bond and has since been released. A judge also ordered him to have no contact with the alleged victim, according to ABC13. He is scheduled to return to court Monday, Sept. 21.

Under Texas law, intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury is generally assault. The charge can rise to a third-degree felony when prosecutors allege the defendant knew the person was pregnant at the time of the offense.

A third-degree felony in Texas carries a potential prison sentence of two to 10 years and a fine of up to $10,000 if a defendant is convicted.

Brooks is listed by the University of Houston as a 6-foot-3, 275-pound sophomore defensive lineman from Katy, Texas. The university says he redshirted during the 2025 season and did not appear in a game.

Houston Athletics said it was aware of the arrest but had not announced any disciplinary action.

“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 athletic department said in a statement reported by local outlets.

ABC13 reported that Brooks was not part of Houston’s traveling squad because of his position on the depth chart. The university’s official roster nevertheless continued to list him as a member of the 2026 team as of Sunday.

The felony case is not the only criminal matter Brooks is currently facing.

Court records reviewed by ABC13 show Brooks also faces a misdemeanor criminal-mischief charge stemming from an Aug. 9 incident involving a different woman. Police reportedly responded to what was described as a family-disturbance-type call after an argument allegedly ended with damage to an apartment-door handle.

Authorities estimated the damage at between $100 and $750. Brooks was not arrested in that case until this past week and posted a separate $100 bond, according to ABC13.

The August case and the Sept. 17 assault allegation involve different women, according to the station.

Brooks has not been convicted of either charge, and the accusations against him remain allegations as the cases move through Harris County court.