That week, the Woburn Police Department and Middlesex District Attorney announced they were investigating the incident. Warren said a formal announcement is forthcoming. THIS IS VIDEO OF THE ALLEGED HAZING INCIDENT IN THE FOOTBALL LOCKROOM. Three years later, he became the head coach at Bedford High School. The student who grabbed him in the classroom, he said, was a former Woburn football player. Belcher told Hanley he had left the building before the incident. His complaint says Belcher witnessed the incident but reprimanded neither the assailant nor numerous players who taunted the alleged victim with vulgarities, insinuating he was soft.. It's not good. In the most disturbing incident, the parent said, her son was a freshman when four older teammates attacked him in a school hallway after Belcher allegedly encouraged stronger players to toughen up those perceived as weaker. While arraignments have begun in Lowell Juvenile Court for seven Woburn students, including five football players, charged with assaulting Coucelos, his parents say the report underscores that Woburn school officials head football coach Jack Belcher, athletic director Jim Duran, and principal Jessica Callanan, among them failed to adequately protect their son. The student said he felt ill and experienced a lingering headache, but he did not seek treatment from the team athletic trainer for fear of being further characterized as weak. Woburn police received a complaint on Oct. 13 regarding an incident earlier in the school year, the joint statement said. It gets me emotional every time I have to talk about this.". "Haverhill Public Schools will not tolerate hazing, harassment or retaliation in any form," the message reads. ""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. Coaches are, by policy, considered responsible for safeguarding student-athletes against any form of abuse. A video of the incident allegedly shows members of the Haverhill High School football team hazing a teenage boy. How many examples of this appalling behavior will it take to preempt the next hazers in waiting? Something needs to be said, something to be done. BOSTON, Ma. 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. All seven face single counts of assault and battery, while one also is charged with indecent assault and battery for allegedly grabbing Couceloss genitals. After months of waiting, the case is expected to be heard in juvenile court next month. 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. It hurts him to this day. Woburn officials issue statement about investigation involving football team. He says there needs to be more accountability. One tradition put on hold, while another continues, exposing vulnerable youngsters to physical and emotional harm. The MIAA rejected the request, saying it does not investigate internal complaints involving member schools. Crowley said they have reached out to the Couceles family. Join us. Hanley found the team assault was planned, organized, and executed by a substantial number of sophomore players. One player said he punched Coucelos multiple times after the sophomores like 30 kids decided to beat up Johnathan.. Due to the ages of those involved, no additional information is available at this time.". 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. Web7 students face charges in alleged Woburn HS hazing attack 2,940 views Apr 14, 2022 Seven Woburn High School students are facing charges after a 14-year-old football "Haverhill Public Schools will not tolerate hazing, harassment or retaliation in any form," the message reads. It did explain that additional details were not released because of the ages of those involved. He was called a snitch. }Customer Service. I didn't like what I saw," said student Elliot Batista. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. His parents made that decision to withdraw him from the school because it was no longer safe for him to be there. Woburn Memorial Football. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. (WHDH) - Seven Woburn High School students are facing assault and battery charges after they allegedly attacked a former classmate. 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. ", "The boys involved in this disgusting incident should be immediately permanently removed from the team," the mayor said in his statement. Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. KYMA KECY is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. The three-year initiative is called Transforming Narratives of Gun Violence. One has an additional "indecent assault and battery" charge. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. 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 family, meanwhile, is asking a judge to review a Woburn District Court clerk magistrates decision to reject applications for criminal complaints against Callanan and Woburn Detective Edward Fumicello, the school resource officer, for allegedly allowing video surveillance footage of the hallway outside the locker room and coachs offices to be deleted after they viewed the recording, despite an ongoing investigation. display: none; "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. No one ever came in and checked when things got loud or out of hand.. Multiple criminal complaints have been filed against several New Jersey high school students following two probes into allegations of rampant abuse and hazing. 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. "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. 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. Woburn, MA Police are pursuing criminal charges against seven students at Woburn Memorial High School after a freshman football player, 14-year-old Johnathan He added, "I used to wake up and go out with half of my friends and now I'm just locked up in my room and finally going into a different school. Its shocking that there still have been no repercussions for anyone in the athletic department, said Peter Hahn, the Coucelos familys attorney. Coucelos alleged he also was punched by another student on a school bus, but the investigation determined Coucelos himself was the aggressor. Attempts to reach Belcher, Duran, and Andrews were unsuccessful. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. "I urge patience as we are all eager to view the results, myself included.". Video shows alleged hazing incident that ended Haverhill football team's season, THE UNIVERSITY -- THE VIDEO YOU WILL SEE IS HIGHLY DISTURBING. Hahn said he provided notice to the city and school district about their intent to sue. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WCVB-TV. Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said Thursday that he supported hiring an outside firm to conduct the investigation. Officials in Woburn said Saturday that authorities are investigating a complaint received earlier in the week involving members of a Woburn High School sports team. 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. It's not good. 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. It is my understanding that the allegation was made in 2019 and that the High School administration promptly investigated the allegation in accordance with our bullying prevention policy and procedure, and that it was not substantiated. Marotta said the investigation is ongoing and significant material was uncovered Wednesday, impacting the direction of the investigation and the entire school community. The statement issued by Police Chief Robert Rufo, Mayor Scott Galvin and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matthew Crowley did not state the nature of the complaint or the specific team, but WCVB reports that officials are investigating whether a teenage member of the football program was hazed and sexually assaulted. Peter Hahn, the attorney representing the Couceles family, said five high school students are facing charges for assault and battery for the September incident. A family in Woburn, Massachusetts, wants The Couceles family reported the assault to police in October. Stream GBH's Award-Winning Content For Parents And Children. Now, police are filing criminal charges against seven students accused of the assault. 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. Woburn officials on Saturday issued a statement confirming that a detective was assigned to an investigation involving a high school sports team. Johnathan Coucelos (center) and his family have helped drive the scrutiny of Woburn's football program. "I am alarmed, concerned and frankly disgusted by what I have been told and by the video that I was shown," Fiorentini said in a statement Wednesday night. "The school official, superintendent, the principal, vice principal, coaches they all should [face] consequences.. "Any such misconduct will be responded to swiftly and it will undoubtedly have lasting repercussions for all of those involved.". Belcher, as the head coach, is responsible for the programs culture, according to specialists in student-athlete safety. KYMA/CBS 13/KECY is an equal opportunity employer. The former Woburn player asserted the waiver was warranted in part because of the trauma he allegedly endured in Belchers program. 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 want to cry every time I see that. "I am alarmed, concerned and frankly disgusted by what I have been told and by the video that I was shown," Fiorentini said in a statement Wednesday night. He said he witnessed Belcher routinely pit players against each other during practice. 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. Andrews, a 2020 graduate of Endicott College, indicated his football experience was limited to Pop Warner and high school. 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. }Customer Service, 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 player, Johnathan Coucelos, reported last fall that he was jumped by teammates in a locker room, according to. James Austin's son is on the football team. Wilson said he wasnt surprised by news of bullying in Belchers program. I also told the principal, who didnt stop him.. "Saturday's statement did not provide details about the nature of the allegation and did not specifically mention the football team. "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. Seven teenagers are facing criminal charges in Hazing in sports has long served as sort of an initiation rite, juvenile for the most part, not demeaning and vicious in nature. Lowell Highs annual Thanksgiving Day football game against Haverhill has been canceled due to an alleged hazing incident involving Haverhill players that was HOME3-3 AWAY4-0 NEUTRAL0-1. 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. Crowley said in his letter Tuesday that the district has cooperated fully with the law enforcement investigation. To my knowledge, there have been no other bullying allegations made to the administration regarding this individual.. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. A video of the incident allegedly shows members of the Haverhill High School football team hazing a teenage boy. The federal Title IX law protects students against many forms of discrimination and violence, including bullying and hazing. "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. WOBURN Not many high school football teams had to start this Fall II spring football season like Woburn by playing the caliber of talent that Melrose and Reading has. He instills hard work, with strict rules, respect for team members and respect for adults at all times. THE TEAM IS FORFEITING THE REST OF THE SEASON. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. WE NEED TO DETERMINE HOW THIS HAPPENED AND WHAT WE CAN DO SO THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. He left his job as a paraprofessional at the Woburn school in April. 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. Danvers school committee faces harsh questions after report calls response to high school hazing into question, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility at GBH, Transparency in Coverage Cost-Sharing Disclosures. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. 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. 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. 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. 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. REPORTER: THEY ARE KICKING OFF THAT PROGRAM DECEMBER 8, EVOLVING -- INVOLVING THE MASS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS IN THE NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS AND SOCIETY GROUP. At BC, he was a 6-foot-4-inch, 270-pound football center and team cocaptain under coach Jack Bicknell, snapping the ball to quarterback Doug Flutie. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. "I fully support the superintendents actions in cancelling the Thanksgiving game, suspending those involved and conducting a full investigation. It was disgusting. Former Woburn High School football player Johnathan Coucelos said he was assaulted and bullied by teammates in the locker room, "This is an active and ongoing investigation. There should be a lot more charges," he said. Lot more charges woburn football hazing '' he said of rampant abuse and hazing College, indicated his football was... 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