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Video Appears to Show Texas Officer Punching 9-Months Pregnant Veteran

Deanna Robinson, who was 38 weeks pregnant, claims that video evidence proves that she was punched by a Texas deputy several times during a child abuse investigation.
Photo via Kory Watkins/YouTube

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Video that has been posted on social media seems to corroborate claims made by a nine-month pregnant Texas Air Force vet that she was punched repeatedly by an officer after police arrived at her parents' home as child services came to remove her child.

Deanna Robinson, 38, from Quinlan, Texas, about 40-miles from Dallas, says that she was assaulted by a Hunt County Sheriff's deputy in her parents' home during a child abuse investigation on March 4, according to reports. Police have said that they are currently investigating the incident.

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"I stepped in front of my son and put my hands up and began screaming, 'No, you're not touching my kid,'" Robinson said in a news conference at her attorney's office. "I was handcuffed almost immediately and shoved into a corner by two giant men. I wouldn't have had an opportunity to assault anyone. There's nothing to warrant what they did to me."

In the approximately 30-second video, Robinson is heard screaming, "I am pregnant" several times while two officers hold her up against the kitchen counter top. One officer is shown raising his arm and appears to be striking her with his fist.

The deputies came to the home after her 9-year-old stepson told school officials that he was afraid to be at home while his parents fought. Robinson said the incident between her and her husband occurred a few days prior to the day authorities turned up at her parents' home, where she was staying when Child Protective Services (CPS) authorities — along with deputies Josh Robinson and William Whitten and Quinlan police officer Daniel Catalan — came to do a welfare check on her 18-month-year old son, according to Sheriff Randy Meeks, who shared the information on the department's Facebook page. The Facebook post has now been removed.

Meeks says that Robinson was shown a court order to take away her son. Texas Rangers are currently investigating her allegations to determine if there were any violations between the deputy and Robinson, who wants the deputy to be charged with assault.

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Meeks also claims that there are two narratives, with Robinson saying that she was assaulted, and the deputy insisting that she was trying to grab his weapon. "Which narrative is correct?" he asked. "I don't know. I wasn't there," he said.

"I have become aware of an internet allegation accusing one of my deputies of improper actions," the statement said. "I have initiated an administrative investigation to determine if any policy violations occurred. Public confidence and trust in the Sheriff's Office is a high priority for me and we take all allegations of misconduct seriously."

Carol Gustin, one of Robinson's attorneys, said that there was no professionalism in this incident.

"There was brute force against her where she was obviously pregnant. It was not something that they could mistake," she added.

Robinson, a US Air Force veteran, spent six days in jail for resisting arrest, assaulting an officer, and interfering with child custody. Her child, a healthy boy, Levi, was born on March 15. Her three stepchildren and 18-month-old son were removed from the home and taken into CPS custody after children's father was interviewed, CBS-DFW reported.

"There is a lot more evidence out there than that 31-second video clip," Meeks said, adding that he is not coming to any conclusions while the incident is still undergoing investigation.

"Once the investigation is completed and evidence shows that my deputy violated policy and/or committed a crime, then he will be prosecuted to the fullest if a criminal act occurred," Meeks said in the Facebook post. "If the evidence shows that my deputy did nothing wrong, then I will back him 100 percent."