Ex-Fiancée Accuses Rays Catcher Derek Norris Of Domestic Violence

Kristen Eck, the ex-fiancée of Rays catcher Derek Norris, alleged that she was abused by Norris in an Instagram post yesterday. The post didn’t provide any details, but a league spokesperson said MLB has opened an investigation. Today, Eck provided more details of the alleged abuse in a blog post.

In her post, Eck describes a night in 2015 when Norris allegedly attacked her:

ON OCTOBER 20TH, 2015 DEREK AND I WERE AT OUR HOME IN WICHITA, KS. WE HAD BEEN SITTING OUT ON OUR PATIO AND DEREK HAD BEEN DRINKING. AS IT GOT LATE I WENT TO GO TO BED AND DEREK WENT DOWNSTAIRS, AS HE WAS STILL DRINKING. I REMEMBER WAKING UP TO HIM KNEELING AT THE BED TELLING ME HOW PRETTY I WAS AND SINGING “SLOW JAMS” TO ME, BUT I COULDN’T KEEP MY EYES OPEN. I WOKE UP A LITTLE WHILE LATER. I’M NOT SURE HOW LONG IT HAD BEEN. I FELT THAT SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT AND I WENT DOWNSTAIRS TO FIND DEREK ON THE PHONE. HE SEEMED STARTLED AND STARTED TALKING “SPORTS” TO THIS PERSON ON THE PHONE. I TOOK THE PHONE AND HEARD A FEMALE’S VOICE STATING, “ARE YOU GOING TO TALK TO ME”. I KNEW WHO IT WAS BECAUSE I HAD SEEN TEXTS AND CAUGHT HER CALLING DEREK BEFORE. I TOOK HIS PHONE AND WALKED UP OUR STAIRS TO TRY AND GET THIS GIRL TO SPEAK TO ME. I APPROACHED OUR KITCHEN ISLAND WITH THE PHONE IN MY HAND AND DEREK APPROACHED ME FROM BEHIND AND PUT ME IN A CHOKE HOLD. AT THIS TIME, I THOUGHT HE WANTED THE PHONE. I THREW THE PHONE ONTO THE KITCHEN ISLAND AND TRIED TO GET AWAY. DEREK THEN GRABBED ME BY THE BACK OF MY HAIR TO PULL ME BACK TO HIM. HE EVENTUALLY LET GO AND AS I TURNED AROUND HE GRABBED ME BY MY UPPER ARMS SO I COULDN’T LEAVE AS HE TRIED TO DRUNKENLY EXPLAIN THAT HE WASN’T TALKING TO ANOTHER FEMALE.

AFTER THIS I TRIED TO GO TO OUR BEDROOM TO GET MY PHONE TO CALL MY MOM SO SHE COULD COME HELP ME. HE STOOD IN FRONT OF ME CORNERING ME SO I COULD NOT GET TO MY PHONE. HE KEPT TRYING TO TALK TO ME AND DENY WHAT HE WAS DOING. I EVENTUALLY COULD GRAB MY PHONE AND GET INTO OUR GUEST ROOM AND LOCK THE DOOR. I GRABBED MY SUITCASE AND CALLED MY MOM SO SHE COULD COME GET ME.

MY MOM AND HER HUSBAND SHOWED UP AND TOOK ME BACK TO THEIR HOME. DEREK CALLED MY MOM AND WAS TALKING TO HER ON THE PHONE. HE CALLED HER AGAIN ONCE WE REACHED MY MOM’S HOUSE. I DON’T KNOW DETAILS OF WHAT THEY TALKED ABOUT. I DO KNOW THAT HE WAS SO UPSET BY THE SITUATION THAT HIS PARENTS CAME OVER TO THE HOUSE TO BE WITH HIM AND TALK TO HIM.

Eck goes on to write that she suffered from anxiety, depression, and an eating disorder after the alleged assault. In a statement to the Norris denied that he ever abused Eck in any way:

First, I want to be absolutely clear that abuse of any form, is completely unacceptable. Allegations regarding this issue are a very serious matter and should not be taken lightly under any circumstances. That being said, in this circumstance, the comments made by my ex-fiancee could not be further from the truth. I have NEVER been physically or emotionally abusive towards her, or anyone else in my life.

Both Norris and the Rays said in statements that they will cooperate with MLB’s investigation.