Falcons Player Charged in Dog Abuse

Gwinnett County police arrested Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux Monday morning on a charge of felony animal cruelty. Babineaux has bonded out of jail.

According to Cpl. Darren Moloney of the Gwinnett County Police Department, Babineaux's wife took a dog to an animal emergency center in Gwinnett County on Sunday. The dog later died and the subsequent investigation led to an arrest warrant for Babineaux. According to Moloney, investigators believe Babineaux "somehow had a direct hand in killing the animal."

A necropsy on the dog will not be performed until Tuesday to determine the cause of death.

Late on Monday afternoon, the Atlanta Falcons released a short statement that said, "We're aware of the situation and we're in the process of gathering information. Until we have the information we need, we will have no further comment."