( CNN ) -- Beleaguered by felony child abuse charges over the spanking of his toddler son , NFL star Adrian Peterson may now be facing anguish from a past tragedy . The man charged with second-degree murder in the death last year of another one of Peterson 's children is now free on bail . Joseph Robert Patterson , who allegedly mortally assaulted the 2-year-old son of the Minnesota Vikings running back in South Dakota , posted a $ 2 million bond on Friday , said Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead . The victim lived with his mother , who was Patterson 's girlfriend . The man is also accused of recklessly causing `` serious bodily injury to the child , '' according to the indictment . And he faces charges of first-degree manslaughter , aggravated battery of an infant and abuse or cruelty to a minor . Patterson has said that the child 's death was an accident , that he choked to death on food . Authorities in Sioux Falls , South Dakota , found the child unresponsive back then , and later determined he 'd suffered injuries to his head consistent with abuse . Soon after that son 's death , Viking Peterson returned to the field , telling a sports reporter that it was God 's will that he should resume playing . Current abuse scandal . Texas authorities have accused Peterson of injury to a child over the spanking of the other son . The crime is punishable by up to two years in a state jail and a $ 1,000 fine . Photos obtained by TMZ allegedly show Peterson 's son 's leg covered in marks that could have come from a switch , or thin tree branch . Some of the marks in the photo appeared to have broken the skin . Authorities have n't divulged the details of what led to the charge . But Peterson 's lawyer said the `` charged conduct involves using a switch to spank his son , '' explaining that his client did so while doling out discipline much like what `` he experienced as a child growing up in east Texas . '' The NFL has sidelined Peterson , who is on leave with pay , while he handles the legal challenge . Peterson has defended himself , saying he is `` not a perfect parent , but I am , without a doubt , not a child abuser . '' Star athlete . Through the troubles in his personal life , Peterson has shined on the field . In his first pro season in 2007 , he set the NFL record for yards rushed in a single game -- 296 , against San Diego , according to the Vikings ' website . In 2008 , he led the league in rushing yards and came in second in 2012 . That year , he became the third Viking to receive the NFL 's Most Valuable Player Award . CNN 's Joe Sutton and Greg Botelho contributed to this report .
Joseph Robert Patterson allegedly mortally assaulted the 2-year-old boy . The victim lived with his mother , who was Patterson 's girlfriend . A judge in a child custody case has ruled that the father of an 8-month-old girl must pay for her medical care because he is not paying enough to support her. NFL star Peterson faces charges of injury to a child in the spanking of another son .