The attorney for Adrian Peterson says the Minnesota Vikings star running back has been indicted by a Texas grand jury on a charge of child abuse.

Attorney Rusty Hardin says the charge in Montgomery County accuses Peterson of using a branch, or switch, to spank his son. He says Peterson has cooperated with authorities and "used his judgment as a parent to discipline his son."

He says Peterson regrets the incident and never intended to harm the boy.

The allegations come during a week in which the NFL has been under heavy scrutiny for the way it handled a domestic abuse case involving former Ravens running back Ray Rice and his then-fiancee. Peterson has rushed for 10,190 yards and 86 touchdowns in eight seasons.

TMZ, the celebrity gossip website, posted pictures that the site claimed showed the child's wounds.

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