"As these matters concern allegations involving minors, there was and remains much we cannot say publicly about this situation," Crowley said. The remaining coaches reported hearing nothing unusual from their offices near the locker room, despite the loud commotion, which numerous players recorded. But former players and parents allege bullying became routine under Belcher, who has posted a 29-20 record at Woburn. Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said Thursday that he supported hiring an outside firm to conduct the investigation. A hazing investigation at Woburn Memorial High School has led to charges against seven high school students. But the abuse continued, according to their complaint, and in 2019 the parents submitted a 10-page report to Callanan detailing additional bullying their son had endured from Belcher and from his teammates at Belchers alleged direction. A FOOTBALL PLAYER IS TRYING TO PULL OFF CLOTHING FROM ANOTHER YOUNG MAN AND LATER ENDS UP ON TOP OF THE ALLEGED HAZING VICTIM. Now, police are filing criminal charges against seven students accused of the assault. Unfortunately, Lowells seniors wont be able to experience that joy of victory or agony of defeat. He hasnt left his room, he has barely eaten," Couceles said of his son. For people with disabilities needing assistance with the Public Files, contact Glenn Heath at 617-300-3268. It's a sad situation and hopefully they figure out what happened and it doesn't happen again. 2023 by KYMA / NPG of Yuma-El Centro Broadcasting. Hanley presented his investigative findings to Carl Nelson, a Woburn middle school principal designated as the decision maker for a federally mandated Title IX review of Couceloss sexual misconduct complaint. REPORTER: THE FOOTBALL STADIUM AND LOCKER ROOM IS 10 MINUTES OFF-CAMPUS. Jessica Callanan, principal of Woburn Memorial High School said in a statement to Greater Boston, "the Coucelos familys complaint is and should be taken seriously. 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 Belcher also serves as a substitute teacher in the school. I feel like parents need to be more involved and acknowledge who their kids friends are. Woburn officials issue statement about investigation involving football team. With your support, GBH will continue to innovate, inspire and connect through reporting you value that meets todays moments. Police seek charges against seven students after Woburn locker room incident, After Woburn football player endures multiple alleged assaults, parents left outraged by official response. }Customer Service. "Parents deserve to know when they send their kids to play high school sports that their children will be safe.". I don't think any town or any school is immune from it. mm 34 32 Ruben high school football team on the gridiron in a friday night matchup against Melrose. I want to cry every time I see that. Lori Lightfoot becomes the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to lose re-election, Fiery Greece train collision kills 32, injures at least 85, A condition called POTS rose after covid, but patients can't find care, Drones fly deep inside Russia; Putin orders border tightened, Rep. Lauren Boebert Gets Absolutely Schooled By Jamie Raskin Using Trump's Own Words, SoCal storm timeline: More snow, heavier rain expected Wednesday, The Killer New Volvos Will Leave You Breathless, See how your Pennsylvania county ranks on voter friendliness with this interactive scorecard, SpaceX launches second-generation Starlink internet satellites. I urge all people involved to cooperate completely with the investigators so that the best and most just outcome can be reached. Many Woburn residents have expressed anger that Belcher permitted three of the alleged assailants, including the player facing a possible indecent assault charge, to remain on the football team through a prestigious Thanksgiving week game at Fenway Park. In Peabody, members of the football team were disciplined last week after a video showed players unsupervised in a locker room last month using a racial slur and mimicking sexual acts. Woburn officials on Saturday issued a statement confirming that a detective was assigned to an investigation involving a high school sports team. Hearing In Woburn Football Assault Case Postponed The probable cause hearing initially scheduled for Tuesday will not take place until March, the attorney for the display: none; Hazing in sports has long served as sort of an initiation rite, juvenile for the most part, not demeaning and vicious in nature. It's not good. 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. He was called a snitch. We hadnt been winning a lot of games and I thought he might turn things around.. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Instead, Belcher instructed the traumatized player to return to the field for 35 more minutes of contact drills, his complaint states. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. Video shows alleged hazing incident that ended Haverhill football team's season, THE UNIVERSITY -- THE VIDEO YOU WILL SEE IS HIGHLY DISTURBING. He should have been fired., The Globe asked Belcher and other school officials to comment. It's not good for our school. The Rams released him in training camp before he was drafted by the Boston Breakers of the fledgling United States Football League. Thats a perversion of sports culture, which instead of building character, produces cowardly thugs. But all these adults need to go.. He left his job as a paraprofessional at the Woburn school in April. KYMA/CBS 13/KECY is an equal opportunity employer. Haverhill High School students who saw the video said the lewd acts shown on that video happened in the locker room of the school's football stadium, Trinity Stadium. What happens when providers turn to medication first? In one well-publicized incident of bullying last year, several members of the Woburn High School football team were eventually arraigned in Lowell Juvenile Court on charges stemming from an assault of a 14-year-old freshman player in the locker room. The matter has also been referred to the Haverhill Police Department for further investigation, according to the school officials' message. 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. Woburn police are seeking assault charges in Lowell Juvenile Court against seven Woburn students, including five football players, for the alleged locker room attack and two subsequent incidents in which Johnathan was the alleged victim. "The only game left on the 2022 Haverhill High football schedule was the Thanksgiving rivalry game against Lowell High School.The Haverhill School Committee was scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday. It's really not a bad school.". juvenile justice system handle the Woburn bullying case? There is no indication in the report that the investigator, Patrick Hanley, a former state and county prosecutor, asked Belcher, Duran, or Callanan about the purported lack of training. The family also asked Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association to take action against Woburn school officials for allegedly violating MIAA rules on hazing, fighting, and sportsmanship, among others. With Haverhill forfeiting the contest, Lowell will finish the season with a 4-7 record. Something needs to be said, something to be done. 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. How many examples of this appalling behavior will it take to preempt the next hazers in waiting? Student leaders of the Woburn team took a stand in recent days supporting Belcher. Coaches are, by policy, considered responsible for safeguarding student-athletes against any form of abuse. "The school official, superintendent, the principal, vice principal, coaches they all should [face] consequences.. >> WANT TO GET STUDENTS -- STUDENT ATHLETES AND ADULT LEADERS IN A ROOM AND START TALKING ABOUT HOW TO BEAT HUMAN BEINGS. 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. Haverhill High School is shutting down all football activities, canceling all future practices and forfeiting the Thanksgiving Day game, due to an alleged hazing incident involving some members of the school's team. "I share in the collective shock and outrage regarding this incident.". Seven Woburn High School students are facing charges after a 14-year-old football player reported being attacked and sexually assaulted by his teammates. A video of the incident allegedly shows members of the Haverhill High School football team hazing a teenage boy. Hire A Woburn Area Pro To Get A Head Start On Spring Cleaning. An incident serious enough to put the Haverhill football coaching staff on paid administrative leave, and initiate a probe into the matter by the citys Police Department. FIRST ALERT FORECAST: Calmer wind speeds and warmer temperatures coming soon, FIRST ALERT FORECAST: More winds and warmer temps on the way, Proposition 17: Voting Rights Restoration for Persons on Parole Amendment. Woburn Police have assigned a detective to the case. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. 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. The Woburn case is one of numerous violent incidents in high school sports over the last year that have captured the attention of government officials, civil rights groups, and student safety organizations. One has an additional "indecent assault and battery" charge. The Haverhill High School football stadium and locker room are located approximately 10 minutes off campus. The 25 new centers are expected to ease the burden on emergency rooms for patients with behavioral health crises. I wish to be unequivocal in the fact that I join every member of the WPS administration in condemning physical and sexual violence in all forms," Crowley said. AT LEAST ONE PERSON IS WEARING A HAVERHIL FOOTBALL SHIRT. THE FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF IS ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. It gets me emotional every time I have to talk about this.". HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL Bullying claims date back years in Woburn High School football program By Bob Hohler Globe Staff,Updated February 26, 2022, 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. READINGS MATT BLASI (83) reaches to make a catch before Woburns Travis Kanoni (4) can move in. Coucelos reported the violent incidents to coaches and the police who did not take enough action. "The Woburn Police Department and the Middlesex District Attorneys Office are currently investigating the incident. racial slurs and engaging in homophobic hazing, Danvers High wrestling program was suspended. 7 students face charges in alleged Woburn HS hazing attack April 14, 2022, 10:11 PM Seven Woburn High School students are facing charges after a 14-year-old "The matter has also been referred to the Haverhill Police Department for further investigation, according to the school officials' message. He also serves as a substitute teacher in the school. "It was pretty nasty, making us look bad. The middlesex county district attorney's office THIS IS VIDEO OF THE ALLEGED HAZING INCIDENT IN THE FOOTBALL LOCKROOM. It was dirty. HOME3-3 AWAY4-0 NEUTRAL0-1. REPORTER: THE MAYOR SAYS I SUPPORT HIRING AN OUTSIDE FIRM TO -- TO CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATION. "It's just so wrong how they're handling it. Its hard on all of us.. Couceles said his wife decided to pull their son out of the Woburn school for his safety in December. Woburn school officials were aware of alleged bullying in the high school football program for several years before 14-year-old freshman Johnathan Coucelos was attacked by a swarm of teammates in the locker room last fall, according to court records and interviews with former players and parents. Haverhill High School students who saw the video said the lewd acts shown on that video happened in the locker room of the school's football stadium, Trinity Stadium. The report said the freshman was then harassed for months both physically and through text messages, leading to him dropping out of school out of fear for his own safety. 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. What happened to that boy in the locker room was heinous, said Lee Wilson, whose son Logan played for Belcher and graduated in 2020. Its also heinous that Belcher kept those kids on the team.. NEW! 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. "This is an active and ongoing investigation. He says there needs to be more accountability. Haverhill High School is shutting down all football activities, canceling all future practices and forfeiting the Thanksgiving Day game, due to an alleged hazing incident involving some members of the school's team. In 1983, Belcher was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the ninth round of the NFL Draft. It's not good. The Globe does not identify victims of alleged sexual assaults unless they give their consent. Crowley said the school district consulted with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) and had a consultant from the Anti-Hazing collaborative work with all of their winter sports coaches. Woburn school officials were aware of alleged bullying in the high school football program for several years before 14-year-old freshman Johnathan Coucelos was attacked by a swarm of teammates in the locker room last fall, according to court records and interviews with. PF343 PA206 STREAK2W. "Parents deserve to know when they send their kids to play high school sports that their children will be safe. 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. The federal Title IX law protects students against many forms of discrimination and violence, including bullying and hazing. WOBURN SENIOR FOOTBALL CAPTAINS (l-r) Derek Dabrieo, Jake Daniell, Derek Baccari, Anthony Palmieri and Yahya Aksadi. Callanan is leaving after the school year to become the director of academic achievement at Reading Memorial High School. Unlike Callanan, who told Hanley she feels terrible for Johnathan, Belcher expressed less empathy, saying he was aware of Coucelos before the attack in a negative way, as a pain in the neck or wise-guy.. 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