Carmello Brooks’ pregnant girlfriend is now defending the Houston linebacker after he was charged with assaulting her.
Nariah Harley, the woman police say was slammed to the ground by Brooks, 19, has publicly taken blame for the incident and demanded prosecutors drop the case against the 275-pound Texas athlete. Her statements came after Brooks was arrested Thursday at his apartment following a clash over her pregnancy, and after news surfaced that he already faced a pending misdemeanor charge from an August confrontation with a different pregnant woman.
Harley told KTRK that Brooks “told me to get out multiple times, and I would not get out.”
“He then just picked me up and gently put me out the apartment,” she said, insisting that responding officers misunderstood what happened and that her visible bruises were misinterpreted.
Brooks “actually called the police. He called 911 because I would not get out his apartment,” Harley added.
The couple’s argument began, according to reports, after Harley informed Brooks she was pregnant and refused to take an abortion pill. A hearing officer testified Monday that Brooks squeezed Harley’s arms, slammed her to the ground, and sat on her to pin her. Officers who responded reported seeing visible injuries on Harley.
Despite those observations, Harley has pushed for her boyfriend’s charges to be dropped and said she would suffer “forever guilt” if the case ended the teenager’s football career. Brooks has since been suspended from the University of Houston team.
The Thursday arrest came just one month after Brooks was charged in a separate incident involving another pregnant woman. In that August case, police say Brooks went to the woman’s home, became “verbally aggressive towards her,” and tried to leave with her keys. The woman shut the door, which was damaged in the process, with police noting the “damage appeared consistent with the door handle having been forcefully pulled inward.” Brooks was charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief, an offense carrying up to one year in jail depending on the damage amount.
Brooks, of Katy, Texas, was due in court Friday for that earlier misdemeanor case. The new charge of assaulting a pregnant person adds to his mounting legal troubles as he attempts to preserve his athletic future.
Before arriving at Houston, Brooks was a three-star high school prospect ranked as the No. 100 defensive lineman nationally. His university bio highlights the recruiting pedigree that Harley now fears could be derailed.
The University of Houston has acknowledged the situation. “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.
Brooks’ legal proceedings in both cases remain ongoing as university officials continue their review.