Jonnu Smith won’t take the field again for Florida International, and the reason why is quite disturbing.
According to the Miami Herald, Smith sustained severe burns to his head, neck, back, shoulder and arm after his pregnant girlfriend poured boiling water on the tight end on Halloween. The woman, who is five months pregnant, has been charged with aggravated battery.
An affidavit stated that the girlfriend, Mary Gaspar, was upset over how much attention was being paid to her by Smith. From the Herald:The two argued through the day over the attention Smith was paying her and their relationship. While in Smith’s dorm room and “feeling extremely emotional and stressed,” she told police, she boiled a pot of water. Then, she walked over to Smith and poured it on him.
When Smith didn’t react strongly enough for her, she started hitting him with her open hands, she told police.
Smith did not play in the Nov. 5 loss to Western Kentucky, and has since been ruled out for the remainder of the season because of the burns. He has yet to use his redshirt so he could return next season as a fifth-year senior, although it’s expected he’ll still be a part of the 2017 NFL draft.
Smith is currently second on the team in receptions (39), receiving yards (441) and receiving touchdowns (three). He will finish his FIU career third all-time in receiving touchdowns (17), and fifth in both catches (175) and yards (1,936).