What you need to know
Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has confirmed that Marshawn Kneeland’s girlfriend is pregnant.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Schottenheimer announced during a press conference on Wednesday, Nov. 12, that Nyland’s girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, is pregnant and the couple’s first child is expected to be born just one week after the 24-year-old defender died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“We want to make sure that she and the baby are taken care of for the rest of their lives,” Schottenheimer said at a news conference.
The Cowboys head coach also revealed that the organization has created the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund, which is intended to financially support both Katarina and the couple’s baby.
When viewers click “Donate” on the foundation’s website, it says, “The Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund is dedicated to preserving Marshawn’s legacy and expanding its impact through direct support to his surviving partners and future heirs.”
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On Thursday, Nov. 6, the Cowboys announced Kneeland’s death in a statement shared with PEOPLE.
“We are deeply saddened to share with the Dallas Cowboys the tragic passing of Marshawn Kneeland this morning,” the Cowboys said in a statement. “Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers for Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.”
“I am shocked to learn that my client and beloved friend Marshawn Kneeland passed away last night,” his agent Jonathan Parsley said in a statement shared by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Pursley said the second-year player passed away on Wednesday night, Nov. 5, just 48 hours after his big performance during the Monday Night Football game between the Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals. Kneeland recovered a blocked punt in the second quarter and scored a touchdown to get the Cowboys on the scoreboard.
Later that day, People reported that authorities said Kneeland died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Wednesday night after leading Texas DPS units on a chase just north of Dallas.
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A DPS aircraft, officers and Frisco police found Kneeland dead from an “apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound” approximately three hours after the pursuit. According to a news release shared with PEOPLE, Kneeland was very close to his car that crashed into the southbound lanes of the Dallas Parkway near Warren Parkway in Frisco at 10:39 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5.
A short time earlier, officers attempted to stop Kneeland for a traffic violation in the northbound lanes of the Dallas North Tollway near Keller Springs Boulevard, but Kneeland did not respond, authorities said.
The man then fled and officers pursued him until they lost sight of the vehicle. His car then crashed into the southbound lanes of Dallas Parkway near Warren Parkway, authorities said.
During the investigation, officers received information that Kneeland “expressed suicidal thoughts,” according to the Frisco Police Department. Kneeland’s body was discovered at 1:31 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6, very close to his car.
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On Wednesday, November 12, Neeland’s girlfriend Mancera broke her silence about her partner’s death, sharing a post on Facebook.
“Sweet baby, words can’t express how broken my heart is. You are my everything. I will love you forever, my beautiful angel,” she wrote, adding a white heart emoji.
Friends and family of the mother-to-be shared messages of support in the comments section. One friend wrote: “Love you kitty. He is always with you. Praying for you and thinking of you and his family and yours very much.”
Hours before his death, Mancera tried to save Kneeland by calling police, saying he feared Kneeland was going to take his own life with a gun. Police audio obtained by PEOPLE includes a dispatcher saying, “I’m talking to my girlfriend. She’s trying to call his agent, but we’re trying to get her to call him first, but she says he’s armed and has a history of mental illness, and her words were, ‘He’s going to end it all.'” ”
In the audio, a dispatcher can also be heard saying that Neeland’s family “received messages and group messages from him saying goodbye. They are concerned for his well-being.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, emotional distress, substance use issues, or just want to talk, call or text 988 or chat 24/7 at 988lifeline.org.
