The mother of former Cowboys player Leighton Vander Esch has filed for divorce from his father after he allegedly strangled her.

Sandra Vander Esch accused her husband, Darwin Vander Esch, of strangling her at their Idaho home on December 1, leading to Darwin being arrested for attempted strangulation as well as misdemeanor domestic battery.

And it has now been revealed that Sandra filed for divorce the following day, according to Idaho County Magistrate Court documents.

Darwin, who was also arrested for intentional destruction of a telecommunication device, has denied strangling his wife.

Citing court documents, TMZ reported that Vander Esch got physical with Sandy following an argument at a bar and allegedly had his hands around her neck ‘for around 10-15 seconds… pushing and squeezing’ until she broke free.

The report also claims, via a police report, that Sandy was pushed to the ground in the incident and was locked out their house.

Darwin was released on $10,000 bond. He has pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges but a plea has not yet been entered for the felony strangulation.

Police received the call about domestic battery in the early hours of December 1 and arrested Vander Esch shortly after cops arrived at the scene. His son is yet to publicly comment on the incident involving his father.

Leighton Vander Esch, a former linebacker, announced his retirement earlier this year after six seasons.

The one-time Pro Bowler was a starter for the Cowboys but struggled with neck injuries, and another neck problem in 2023 ended his season (and ultimately career) after just five games.

The ex-player’s verified Instagram account is currently set to private, though it’s not clear when that switch was made.