Murrieta youth football coach suspended, banned from league after allegedly punching opposing player
The coach was arrested and booked on charges of battery and willfully harming a child.
MORENO VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- The family of a 14-year-old football player says a Murrieta youth football coach punched him after a game this weekend.
The incident happened on Saturday afternoon at Vista Murrieta High School.
Video obtained by Eyewitness News shows the alleged assault that reportedly happened minutes after the Murrieta Broncos and the Perris Panthers finished their game.
Neenah Kaowii said her son Harlem was blindsided when the coach from the opposing team - identified as Eiby Funes - punched her son. She said he suffered a concussion and a seizure.
"The coach comes running with like two other players, and right in front of me, he hits Harlem," said the mother. "He goes unconscious for like two minutes and as he's waking up, as he ... looks like he's trying to wake up, he's trying to open his eyes ... he goes into a full seizure mode."
Funes was arrested and booked on charges of battery and willfully harming a child. He has since posted bail.
Eyewitness News attempted to contact Funes but was unable to reach him.
The commissioner for the Murrieta Broncos said Funes has been suspended and banned from coaching the league. On its Facebook page, the Murrieta Broncos shared a statement, calling the incident "unfortunate" and "disheartening."
"They're stating they understand what happened and they don't condone what happened, but I don't see, 'We apologize,'" said Kaowii. "I see that they wish Harlem well, but there is no apology ... there's no sympathy."
As a result of the incident, the league has decided to dismantle both the Murrieta Broncos and Perris Panthers, effectively ending their season.
The Southern California Jr. All American Football told ABC7 the behavior from both teams led to the decision.
According to the Murrieta Police Department, officers were called to the scene after receiving reports of a fight that had broken out involving parents, coaches and the teams.
Kaowili says suspending both teams sends the wrong message.
"So the message that they're sending is ... it's ok for an adult to hit a child, and that child and his team has to suffer the consequences," said Kaowili.
Harlem continues to recover at home.
