The heir to a Texas oil fortune has been ordered to pay $1.1 billion in a landmark ruling after he violently beat his 2-year-old stepson nearly to death — leaving the child in a wheelchair and requiring around-the-clock care, according to a court.
Charles Brooks Jr. must pay the massive amount after a jury ruled in favor of his ex-wife, Madison Ball, whose son suffered a severe brain injury at the hands of the now 34-year-old felon, the Buzbee Law Firm, which represents the family, said Thursday.
Brooks, an unemployed trust fund beneficiary and the great-grandson of Humble Oil founding investor Percy Turner, is already serving a 40-year prison sentence in Texas for the brutal assault on his stepson, whom he had been asked to babysit while his wife was at work.
Charles Edwin Brooks Jr. was ordered to pay $1.1 billion for the near-fatal beating of his 2-year-old stepson in April 2021.
The massive award includes $291 million in compensatory damages and $810 million in punitive damages, according to court records.
The boy, now 7, was awarded $800 million in addition to the compensatory damages, while his parents will each receive $5 million.
It is the largest verdict in U.S. history involving the assault of a child.
In the civil lawsuit filed by Ball on behalf of her son, Brooks had been entrusted to care for the toddler on April 22, 2021, when the attack occurred.
The child will require 24-hour care for the rest of his life.
He was left unable to walk after the assault and now relies on a wheelchair.
Brooks claimed he had taken the child to visit his grandfather at a hospital in Dallas.
However, the lawsuit states that no such visit occurred and alleges that Brooks instead violently attacked the child.
He later called Ball, claiming the boy was “non-responsive” after falling off a kitchen table, according to the lawsuit.
Brooks is currently being held in the San Saba County Jail, serving a 40-year sentence after pleading guilty to aggravated assault on a child causing serious bodily harm.
During a disturbing exchange, Ball demanded to see her son over a FaceTime call and, to her horror, saw the toddler “barely breathing” while Brooks ignored her repeated pleas to call 911, according to court documents.
Brooks minimized the child’s condition, claiming he would “sleep it off” and saying he had placed him in an ice bath to revive him.
He also threatened his wife, saying he would “snap her neck” and “f–king kill her” if she contacted emergency services.
Ball ignored the threats and called 911 to get urgent medical help.
First responders arrived to find the child severely beaten, unresponsive, and with adult bite marks on his legs.
According to records, the child suffered a traumatic brain injury, chronic respiratory failure, a seizure disorder, urethral trauma, and hemorrhaging in both retinas.
Due to the severity of his injuries, the child now has a tracheostomy tube, is bedridden, cannot walk, and cannot survive for more than a few hours without a breathing machine.
“(The child’s) life is a fraction of what it once was, and he will never grow into the strong, healthy, happy boy he should of because of Brooks’ terrible, violent, horrific behavior,” the original court filing stated.
After a years-long legal battle, a jury delivered the record-breaking verdict on Thursday.
“We claim to value children in our society. This Texas jury stepped up and showed that. Don’t mess with Texas children,” attorney Tony Buzbee said. “I hope that through this verdict this precious child gets all the care he will need and hopefully make his life as good as it can be made under the circumstances.”
Attorneys for Ball and her son argued that Brooks had a history of criminal activity, including prior arrests for theft, aggravated robbery, gun-related offenses, and drug possession.
After the assault, Brooks was released on bond but later removed his ankle monitor and attempted to flee. Authorities eventually located him at a sports bar in South Texas.
He is currently serving a 40-year sentence and will be eligible for parole in 2042. His projected release date is Jan. 30, 2062, when he will be 70 years old.
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