Because the investigation involves minors, both the Woburn Police Department and the Middlesex District Attorneys Office told NBC10 Boston they cannot provide information about the case. GBH News brings you the stories, local voices, and big ideas that shape our world. "A freshman getting dragged down on the floor, them pulling down his pants and pulling down the other dude's pants and humping him in the face. THIS IS VIDEO OF THE ALLEGED HAZING INCIDENT IN THE FOOTBALL LOCKROOM. Several students, including football players in uniform, are seen pouring water on him and throwing water bottles. Woburn High made no substantive efforts to curtail the bullying, they stated. Attempts to reach Belcher, Duran, and Andrews were unsuccessful. #ada-button-frame { It's not good. Seven teenagers are facing criminal charges in "Parents deserve to know when they send their kids to play high school sports that their children will be safe. "This is an active and ongoing investigation. "We acknowledge and support the student and family that had the strength to come forward to report this deeply troubling matter," Woburn Superintendent of Schools Matt Crowley told the Globe. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. And in Woburn, police are "investigating whether a juvenile was hazed and sexually assaulted at the school in an incident involving the football team." "As school leaders, we acknowledge and have offered support to the student and family that had the strength to come forward to report this deeply troubling matter," the superintendent wrote. Woburn likes to cover things up, said Kevin Coucelos, Johnathans father and a lifelong resident. "Parents deserve to know when they send their kids to play high school sports that their children will be safe.". CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS. Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. mm 34 32 Ruben high school football team on the gridiron in a friday night matchup against Melrose. Just no, they're kids temperament, that stuff. The Middlesex County District Attorney's Office has said they have been notified of the incident by woburn police. Woburn police and the Middlesex District Attorneys office are now investigating. All rights reserved (About Us). He left his job as a paraprofessional at the Woburn school in April. "The Woburn Police Department and Woburn Public Schools will continue to work together to ensure the safety of all students. WOBURN, MA The family of a Woburn 14-year-old who said he was threatened, punched and sexually assaulted in a school locker room is criticizing Woburn Public Schools, Woburn police and the Middlesex District Attorney's Office for lack of action on the incidents, according to a Boston Globe report. I also told the principal, who didnt stop him.. Full statement: "On Wednesday, Oct. 13, the Woburn Police Department received a complaint involving members of a Woburn High School sports team regarding an incident earlier in the school year. I JUST THINK ITS AWFUL. "It was gross. CNN A high school near Pennsylvanias capital has canceled its upcoming football season over reports of hazing by members of the schools football team. The Globe reported on Saturday that the freshman said he was attacked in a locker room and grabbed by the genitals in an incident caught on video following a September game. We're live in Woburn. It was very nasty," said student Felix Molina. AT LEAST ONE PERSON IS WEARING A HAVERHIL FOOTBALL SHIRT. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Run by Black journalists at The Boston Globe, Black News Hour, a new radio program, delivers reliable news that connects with our community and expands on deeper issues impacting our city. It's not good. THE MAYOR GOES ON TO SAY IM CONCERNED THIS HAPPENED, AND CONCERNED BY REPORTS THAT OTHER STUDENTS STOOD BY AND DID NOT INTERVENE. It was very nasty. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. While charges are pending for some students, Couceles says the coaches and school leadership should be held accountable, too. Callanan hired him in 2017 to succeed Woburns legendary coach, Rocky Nelson, and a former student who played in three of Belchers first four years at Woburn said, My first impression of him was positive. 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The Haverhill High School football stadium and locker room are located approximately 10 minutes off campus. The middlesex county district attorney's office says woburn police notified them about the allegations, and are investigating. But former players and parents allege bullying became routine under Belcher, who has posted a 29-20 record at Woburn. racial slurs and engaging in homophobic hazing, Danvers High wrestling program was suspended. He allegedly was punched and struck with water bottles, as well as being indecently assaulted. Seven Woburn High School students are facing charges after a 14-year-old football player reported being attacked and sexually assaulted by his teammates. THE TEAM IS FORFEITING THE REST OF THE SEASON. "I understand that there have been strong reactions to this situation and appreciate there is a deep desire for as much information as possible regarding the incident and the school districts response," Crowley wrote. Nelson also determined the groping did not meet the narrow definitions of sexual misconduct under the Title IX law. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. It goes on to show a fourth teen in underwear squatting into the victims face, while other boys screamed and cheered, according to reports. I didn't like what I saw," said student Elliot Batista. GET BREAKING NEWS IN YOUR BROWSER. In his letter, Crowley said the incident that occurred this past September involved student athletes and included allegations of physical and sexual abuse of a student by their teammates. A parent who asked not to be identified said her son, who graduated in 2021, was bullied on the practice field, in the locker room, and elsewhere in the school by his football teammates. When I first saw it, I thought it was just a form of competition, he said. Thats a perversion of sports culture, which instead of building character, produces cowardly thugs. The Globe's most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning. Police Investigating Woburn High School Team Incident - Woburn, MA - Officials did not specify the team, but WCVB reported Friday that the football team was And several players who face criminal charges remained on the team through a prestigious Thanksgiving game at Fenway Park and continue participating in offseason workouts. Parents of the boy who allegedly was kicked in 2018 also faulted the school administration. "I think the parents need to take action, I feel like parents need to be more involved and acknowledge who their kids friends are and just know their kids' temperament," Austin shared. Coaches are, by policy, considered responsible for safeguarding student-athletes against any form of abuse. The Rockets improved to 2-0 by dominating Woburn, 35-7, last Saturday at Woburn High. Ten football captains six seniors and four juniors circulated a letter to news outlets, saying they were not trying to minimize any allegations that are being investigated by the proper people., In fact, we all condemn bullying of any kind, the captains wrote. A FOOTBALL PLAYER IS TRYING TO PULL OFF CLOTHING FROM ANOTHER YOUNG MAN AND LATER ENDS UP ON TOP OF THE ALLEGED HAZING VICTIM. Sources tell I FEEL BAD. Seven Woburn students charged in alleged locker room assaults on former football player, Read the original report: After Woburn football player endures multiple alleged assaults, parents left outraged by official response. Belcher, who with Callanan hired Andrews in 2021, remains, as does Duran, who supervises the football coaches and also is considered responsible for player safety. Coucelos, fearing for his safety, has transferred to Cambridge Matignon School. Asked to cite an inaccuracy, Callanan did not respond. All of those charged are students at Woburn Memorial High School. Kevin Couceles says cellphone video shared on social media shows his then 14-year-old son being assaulted in the locker room after a football game last September. Several students, including football players in uniform, are seen pouring water on him and throwing water bottles. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. This week, the Danvers High wrestling program was suspended after an investigation into a fight that allegedly occurred over a racial slur led to the discovery of a team Snapchat group that included racist and biased language. Saturday's statement did not provide details about the nature of the allegation and did not specifically mention the football team. The Couceles family reported the assault to police in October. All of those charged are students at Woburn Memorial High School. (WHDH) - Seven Woburn High School students are facing assault and battery charges after they allegedly attacked a former classmate. Belcher also serves as a substitute teacher in the school. April 14, 2022, 10:11 p.m. It's a sad situation and hopefully they figure out what happened and it doesn't happen again. In April, seven Woburn High School students were charged after a 14-year-old football player reported being attacked and sexually assaulted by his teammates in September 2021. "I share in the collective shock and outrage regarding this incident.". An inexperienced and ill-trained volunteer assistant football coach failed to inform his supervisors at Woburn Memorial High School after a 14-year-old freshman Something needs to be said, something to be done. He was attacked in the bathroom. In a statement shared Wednesday evening, Fiorentini said he received a call from Haverhill Public Schools Superintendent Margaret Marotta, briefing him on a hazing incident at the high school. Coucelos, who is 14, told Jim Braude on Greater Boston Monday that his life has changed drastically since the attack, and the harassment has not stopped. The Woburn case put a spotlight on numerous violent incidents in high school sports over the last year that have been brought to the attention of government officials, civil rights groups, and student safety organizations. "On Wednesday, Oct. 13, the Woburn Police Department received a complaint involving members of a Woburn High School sports team regarding an incident earlier in the school year. They stated in their civil complaint that they reported the incident to the principal, Jessica Callanan, soon after it occurred. THE FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF IS ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. I'm Peter Iliopoulos, WCVB News Center five, Okay. "I urge patience as we are all eager to view the results, myself included.". 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One football player was accused of indecent assault for allegedly yanking down Johnathans pants and touching his genitals in the locker room episode. "As these matters concern allegations involving minors, there was and remains much we cannot say publicly about this situation," Crowley said. The video appears to show three boys one of them wearing a Haverhill football shirt dragging another teen across the floor of a locker room. A family in Woburn, Massachusetts, wants to see justice served when it comes to the teenagers accused of assaulting their son in a high school locker room last fall. Two players were suspended from school for two weeks over the incident, but while one quit the team, the other continued playing football during his suspension, the family said. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WCVB-TV. It's not good for our school. Crowley did not provide details of the 2019 allegation. REPORTER: THE MAYOR SAYS I SUPPORT HIRING AN OUTSIDE FIRM TO -- TO CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATION. This content is imported from Facebook. They have known for years they have a bully coaching our kids and they havent done anything to stop him, Kevin Coucelos, Johnathans father, said. It was very nasty," said student Felix Molina.The Haverhill High School football stadium and locker room are located approximately 10 minutes off campus.Police are investigating and members of the teams coaching staff have been placed on administrative leave.Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said Thursday that he supported hiring an outside firm to conduct the investigation. Seven teenagers are facing criminal charges in connection to a hazing investigation in Woburn, Massachusetts. His new school joined in seeking the waiver and injunction. Its hard on all of us.. Woburn officials on Saturday issued a statement confirming that a detective was assigned to an investigation involving a high school sports team.That message from Police Chief Robert Rufo, Mayor Scott Galvin and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matthew Crowley comes one day after sources told NewsCenter 5 that police are investigating whether a juvenile was hazed and sexually assaulted at the school in an incident involving the football team.The Middlesex County District Attorney's Office also said they were notified about the allegations by police and are participating in the investigation.Officials said in Saturday's statement that the incident involved a sports team and an alleged incident that occurred "earlier in the school year. Student leaders of the Woburn team took a stand in recent days supporting Belcher. He said one punched him several times in a school bathroom, and the other entered his Spanish classroom, grabbed him by the shirt, and warned him not to snitch. "As your superintendent I promise that the standards we will set for ourselves, our sports programs and how we are to treat one another will be of paramount importance as we continue to move through this process and learn all the facts and circumstances," Crowley wrote. Woburn police received a complaint on Oct. 13 regarding an incident earlier in the school year, the joint statement said. While school officials told the Globe their response was "comprehensive and thorough" and the DA's Office said there is an ongoing investigation, the family said it is outraged at what they say was relatively light school discipline against the football players involved in the assault and the lack of any criminal charges at those they say are responsible for the assault and ensuing harassment. Belcher, 60, has been familiar to many in the Woburn area since he was a three-sport star at neighboring Stoneham High School in the late 1970s. Several media outlets have reported on a video, posted to Boston 25, allegedly showing members of the football team hazing a teenage boy. Follow us so you don't miss a thing! Seven Woburn High School students are facing charges after a 14-year-old football player reported being attacked and sexually assaulted by his teammates. Any such misconduct will be responded to swiftly and it will undoubtedly have lasting repercussions for all of those involved., Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said in a statement shared on Facebook Wednesday night that he was alarmed, concerned, and frankly disgusted by the video and that this can never be allowed to occur again., He said the boys involved in the incident should be immediately permanently removed from the team., I fully support the superintendents actions in cancelling the Thanksgiving game, suspending those involved and conducting a full investigation, he said in the statement. 2 Player of Year, Two men arrested on firearms, drug trafficking charges in Tewksbury, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds. 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