Kentucky Woman Accused of ‘Violently’ Strangling High School Football Player on Field During Game

A Kentucky woman was arrested after she was accused of charging onto a high school football field mid-game to physically assault a player.

Monticello police were dispatched to the Wayne County Emergency Room on October 30, per a press release from the department. There, they found a Wayne County High School football player being evaluated for injuries sustained in the alleged attack, per the statement.

After an investigation, per the statement, police determined the victim “had allegedly been strangled from behind by a female spectator during the game.” On Tuesday, November 3, Kayla Barrett was arrested by Kentucky State Police and charged with one count of felony second degree strangulation, per Law & Crime.

Barrett, 36, was subsequently released from jail the following day on a $5,000 cash bond, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader, under the condition that she not attend “any school sporting events in this commonwealth.” She has not yet entered a plea, according to court records reviewed by Globe.

Barrett is accused of charging onto the field mid-game and putting her hands around the neck of the victim from behind, per the arrest warrant reviewed by the Herald-Leader. Allegedly, she “violently shook him by the neck in an attempt to obstruct his airway,” per the warrant.

The legal filing further stated that the alleged incident was “witnessed by several individuals” and video from North Laurel’s football program “showed Barrett in the vicinity of where the alleged strangulation occurred,” per the newspaper.

According to 13th Region Media Network, the alleged assault occurred during the third quarter of the teams’ final game of the season, which was subsequently called and eventually declared a win for North Laurel. The team had been leading 21-12 with 6:34 remaining in the quarter.

“The safety of our student-athletes and community will always remain a priority. High school athletics should be an environment where student-athletes can compete safely, without fear of violence or intimidation,” the Monticello Police Department said in its statement. “While emotions can run high during competitive sporting events, there is absolutely no justification for physical violence against players, coaches, officials, or spectators.”