Adrian Peterson's two-year-old son has died following an alleged assault.

The Minnesota Vikings player was at the boy's bedside as he passed.

Peterson's son was taken to a medical center in South Dakota with severe head injuries on Wednesday evening (09Oct13) after he was found unconscious.

The sports star met with the media on Friday (11Oct13), just before his son died, and told reporters he still planned to play in the Vikings' game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday (13Oct13).

He said, "I really appreciate all the support that I've been receiving from fans, the Vikings organization. This is a private matter and I would ask you all to please just respect my privacy and not ask at all about the situation at hand."

Police have arrested Joseph Robert Patterson, 27, who was initially charged with aggravated assault and aggravated assault on an infant in his apartment.

Sioux Falls police claim Patterson and the mother of the dead boy recently started dating.