Arlington football star accused of murdering his infant daughter

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A former Arlington football player is in jail accused of murdering his infant daughter.

The baby girl died in January but police only arrested the 22-year old Arlington High School graduate on Monday.

Tavarreon Dickerson is charged with child abuse murder after investigators determined his daughter’s death was not an accident.

Before he was a running back at Tulsa University, Dickerson was a football star at Arlington High School.

Postings on social media show Dickerson and his family had high hopes for his career before he was arrested in Arlington for the death of his 6-week old daughter, Rayleigh, when he was living in Tulsa.

“One of the paramedics ran out with the baby and it was not clothed or anything,” said neighbor Olivia Lyons. “So we immediately knew something bad had happened."

Police say the baby was found at Dickerson's home in Tulsa. He told police he'd accidentally smothered the child while sleeping next to her on the couch.

A medical examiner’s report says the child died of ‘multiple blunt impact injuries.’ There was also bleeding of the brain. The report says the baby had two broken ribs that were starting to heal and the ‘fractures most likely occurred within one to four weeks prior to death.’

At Arlington High School, he's listed as the all-time rushing leader and held the record for rushing touchdowns.  

After his senior year, Dickerson went to Utah State before making his way to Tulsa. Injuries kept him off the field for most of his two years in Tulsa. He left the team in December. The baby died in January.

Dickerson was arrested by Arlington Police and U.S. marshals on Monday. He’s being held in the Tarrant County Jail waiting to be transferred to Tulsa on a charge of child abuse murder.