It has been 5 years since authorities arrested KaVontae Turpin, and TCU suspended him following a scandal involving his ex-girlfriend. He has returned to the game with greater strength, seems to have matured as a man, and is currently raising a child with his baby mama girlfriend.
KaVontae Turpin is a wide receiver and return specialist who plays for the National Football League (NFL) Dallas Cowboys. Turpin attended TCU and played collegiate football.
He signed with the New Jersey Generals for the 2022 USFL season and was the USFL MVP this season.
In 2021, he played for the Wroclaw Panthers in Poland’s European League of Football.
Return specialist KaVontae Turpin has transformed the Cowboys’ return game into one of the most feared in the NFL for nearly three years.
KaVontae Turpin doing KaVontae Turpin things 😮💨 https://t.co/fzALI26jX1
— United Football League (@TheUFL) November 24, 2024
The former USFL MVP commanded respect from the outset in Dallas, earning Pro Bowl honors as a rookie and playing an increasingly important role on offense along the road.
In addition to his games and performances, Turpin is highlighted mainly through an incident involving his ex-girlfriend, Raiesha Atwater.
KaVontae Turpin and His Loving Girlfriend, Khyjian Thomas, Have a Daughter Named Kaori
KaVontae Turpin has been in a relationship with Khyjian Thomas for a while. However, when and how they first met and fell in love is unknown.
Khyjian has no other public social media accounts and is only active on Facebook. That is why there is so little information regarding Turpin’s girlfriend and baby’s mom.
The pair seems to love each other’s company and has been together for over three years.
The couple decided to start a family, and some media outlets think they are married, but there is no proof.
As a sign of his happiness, he captioned the baby shower photos with “#GirlDad” and expressed his pride in being a parent.
KaVontae and Khyjian received their first and only child, a daughter called Kaori, on July 27, 2023.
Turpin shares photos of his children and family but rarely appears together. He typically shares photos posted by his girlfriend on his own Facebook page.
Kavontae Turpin Was Arrested and Suspended From the Team for Assaulting His Ex-girlfriend Raiesha Atwater
In March 2018, officials arrested KaVontae Turpin in New Mexico on charges of assault and property damage to his ex-girlfriend.
However, his arrest did not become public until October 2018, when his team, TCU, suspended Turpin from the squad.
During a press conference, TCU’s head coach, Gary Patterson, announced the dismissal of wide receiver KaVontae Turpin.
After learning that Turpin was arrested in New Mexico on a battery charge, the institution stated the Star-Telegram.
TCU claimed they were aware of an event in New Mexico, but they were unaware that the allegations included alleged violence.
After entering a guilty plea to disorderly conduct and having the charge dropped, Turpin was arrested once more for allegedly assaulting her in October 2018.
NEW: Former-TCU football standout KaVontae Turpin has pleaded guilty to assaulting his girlfriend in October. Story coming. pic.twitter.com/CXrLS6dBOq
— Nichole Manna (@NicholeManna) April 29, 2019
Raiesha Atwater, who had been in a five-year relationship with Turpin, told police that he “dragged her across the parking lot” and “slammed her to the ground.”
According to the Associated Press, after fleeing, she knocked on a neighbor’s door and requested them to call the police.
The woman told police that Turpin was unhappy because he believed she had “sent photos of herself to other people.”
A witness informed police that he and two buddies heard the woman scream in the apartment complex’s parking lot.
He claimed they witnessed Turpin “manhandle” her “by grabbing her from behind with one arm and across her neck, her feet dragging as she kicked and yelled at him.”
The Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office stated in April 2019 that KaVontae Turpin pleaded guilty to abusing his girlfriend.
In late October, authorities arrested Turpin on a misdemeanor assault allegation.
As part of his plea deal, Turpin finished a 27-week Partner Abuse Intervention Program offered by SafeHaven of Tarrant County and served two years of deferred adjudication probation.
Following the charges and arrests, Turpin’s ex-girlfriend Raiesha Atwater was not identified, but the couple split up.
Additional Information
- Turpin’s contract with Dallas is for approximately $2.5 million over the course of three years.
- He was born on August 2, 1996, in Monroe, Louisiana, United States.
- Turpin scored his first NFL touchdown against the New York Giants on September 10, 2023, with a seven-yard sprint. The Cowboys won the game 40-0.