An heir to a powerful Texas oil fortune has been ordered to pay more than $1 billion in damages after a brutal assault left his two-year-old stepson permanently disabled.
Charles Edwin Brooks Jr, the great-grandson of a prominent early investor in Humble Oil, was found liable for catastrophic injuries inflicted on toddler Blake Sampson during a frenzied attack in 2021.
The shocking civil verdict comes after Brooks was convicted in 2023 and sentenced to 40 years in prison for the assault. This week, a Texas jury awarded approximately $291 million in compensatory damages and a further $810 million in punitive damages—bringing the total to over $1.1 billion in what lawyers say is the largest child abuse verdict in US history.
The case was brought by Blake’s mother, Madison Ball, and his father, Stephen Sampson, in Dallas County’s 134th District Court.
The attack took place on April 22, 2021, while Brooks was babysitting the toddler. Hours later, he contacted Ball claiming her son was “non-responsive,” initially suggesting the child had fallen.
Alarmed, Ball requested a FaceTime call—only to see her son lying naked, barely breathing. Despite her pleas, Brooks refused to call emergency services, forcing her to dial 911 herself.
When paramedics arrived, they found Blake in a critical state: severe head trauma, brain swelling, extensive bruising across his body, and adult bite marks on his legs. He was rushed to Medical City Dallas, placed on a ventilator, and put into a medically induced coma.
Medical evidence presented in court revealed devastating injuries, including a traumatic brain injury affecting multiple regions, retinal hemorrhaging, chronic respiratory failure, and a seizure disorder.
Now aged seven, Blake requires constant, around-the-clock care. He relies on a breathing machine, uses a tracheostomy tube, and is unable to walk—his life permanently altered by the attack.
During the investigation, Brooks gave multiple conflicting accounts, at various times claiming the boy had fallen from a table, down stairs, or been involved in a car accident.
He later pleaded guilty in August 2023 to first-degree felony injury to a child and began serving a 40-year prison sentence.
The civil lawsuit detailed the lifelong impact of the injuries, forming the basis for the massive damages awarded. The compensatory portion includes funding for future medical care, physical suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life, with additional awards granted to both parents.
In the punitive phase, jurors imposed hundreds of millions more, underscoring the extreme severity of the abuse.
Lead attorney Tony Buzbee, who represented the family, described the verdict as a powerful statement on protecting children.
“We claim to value children in our society. This Texas jury stepped up and showed that,” he said. “Don’t mess with Texas children.”
In a detailed statement, Buzbee described the harrowing evidence presented in court, including graphic images from the scene showing blood throughout the home and signs of repeated abuse.
“The jury saw the blood on the counters, the floors, the walls—and on the child himself,” he said. “They saw the reality of what this child endured.”
Darren Anderson, representing Blake’s father, said the verdict reflected the strength of the case and the family’s pursuit of justice.
Brooks’ lineage traces back to Percy Turner, an early investor in Humble Oil, linking him to a prominent Texas oil dynasty. Lawyers for the family say Brooks has access to substantial financial resources, including trust funds, and they intend to pursue full collection of the judgment to ensure Blake receives lifelong care.
For Blake Sampson, the verdict may secure financial support—but it cannot undo the devastating injuries that will define the rest of his life.
English (United States) ·