A newly released photograph provides a more detailed view of the injury allegedly sustained by Madison Atiabi when she was bitten by Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua on New Year's Eve. The image, obtained by The California Post, shows visible imprints of teeth and appears to depict a deeper wound than previously evident.
Joseph Kar, Atiabi's attorney, stated that his client received a tetanus shot due to the bite, emphasizing the high bacterial content found in human mouths. Atiabi is also reportedly suffering from severe emotional distress and mental anguish, for which she is receiving treatment.
The incident occurred after a New Year's Eve dinner with mutual friends. According to the report, Nacua allegedly bit Atiabi on the shoulder while they were in a sprinter van traveling to another location. Nacua, through his attorney Levi McCathern, has maintained that the bite was a result of mutual "horseplay."
Atiabi and Kar have denied the "horseplay" claim and have filed a lawsuit against Nacua, alleging gender violence, assault and battery, and negligence. They initially sought a restraining order but withdrew the request in mid-April to concentrate on the civil lawsuit, which remains ongoing.
Separately, authorities investigated the incident for potential misdemeanor charges. In May, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office indicated that the matter had been assigned for a City Attorney Hearing, a pre-filing diversion program that offers an alternative to criminal prosecution for eligible individuals.
In the weeks following the encounter with Atiabi, Nacua entered a rehabilitation program. He told reporters on May 28 that he had grown from the experience and subsequent therapy. USA TODAY Sports was the first to report the release of the new photograph.