A youth football coach who was caught on camera repeatedly hitting one of his players in a video that went viral has now been charged in a Central Florida county for the incident.
NBC affiliate WESH-TV reports Gerrel Williams, who coached the Savannah, Georgia team during an event last week in Kissimmee, has been charged with one count of child abuse according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
Charges have not immediately filed because the child’s family did not want to press charges.
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Williams was seen in the video hitting the child’s helmet, knocking him off balance, before hitting the child again and knocking him to the ground. The team consisted of players age 7 and younger.
Williams posted a video on social media last week apologizing for his actions.
"I was wrong. ...There is no excuse for my actions. He forgives me and his parents have forgiven me, so nobody else should be bashing me,” he said.
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Williams has been expelled by the team’s league and has not attended any games since.
