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. "It was gross. 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. Join us. The freshman football player is seen pulling up his pants in the video. Due to the ages of those involved, no additional information is available at this time. It's really not a bad school. ", "The boys involved in this disgusting incident should be immediately permanently removed from the team," the mayor said in his statement. 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. We are strictly responding to how the integrity of the team, the leadership of the athletic department and football program is unfairly under attack in the community., They stated, Head Coach Jack Belcher has always given us nothing short of his undivided attention and passion for his job as our coach and leader. 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 "I fully support the superintendents actions in cancelling the Thanksgiving game, suspending those involved and conducting a full investigation. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. I wasnt there to protect my son," Couceles shared. Callanan is leaving after the school year to become the director of academic achievement at Reading Memorial High School. Former Woburn High School football player Johnathan Coucelos said he was assaulted and bullied by teammates in the locker room, and the school did nothing to protect him. "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. I think the parents need to take action. Seven teenagers are facing criminal charges in connection to a hazing investigation in Woburn, Massachusetts. 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. It was disgusting. "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. Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. What happens when providers turn to medication first? A Woburn school psychologists evaluation states he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, causing him significant symptoms of anxiety and depression, due to the violence he endured. No one was against it, Hanley described the player as saying. The Couceles family reported the assault to police in October. Seven Massachusetts students charged in connection with alleged assaults on high school football teammate. One football player was accused of indecent assault for allegedly yanking down Johnathans pants and touching his genitals in the locker room episode. Due to the ages of those involved, no additional information is available at this time.. 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. Johnathan Coucelos (center) and his family have helped drive the scrutiny of Woburn's football program. Woburn likes to cover things up, said Kevin Coucelos, Johnathans father and a lifelong resident. Woburn Police have assigned a detective to the case. Crowley said in his letter Tuesday that the district has cooperated fully with the law enforcement investigation. Woburn, MA Police are pursuing criminal charges against seven students at Woburn Memorial High School after a freshman football player, 14-year-old Johnathan "We are committed to a thorough, multifaceted fact finding operation, and we pledge to be forthcoming regarding the results of those investigations and to enact their findings and recommendations., "As these investigations remain active and ongoing, we will continue to allow that process to unfold," he added. 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 did explain that additional details were not released because of the ages of those involved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy |Community Guidelines | FCC Applications | Jobs/Internships |, Daily News Updates The middlesex county district attorney's office says woburn police notified them about the allegations, and are investigating. GBH News brings you the stories, local voices, and big ideas that shape our world. 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. Crowley said in his most recent statement to the Globe that the school district also will make certain that the investigators are aware of this past, unsubstantiated allegation regarding Coach Belcher to ensure that they are provided with any and all context necessary for a full and fair investigation.. "He just wants to be by himself all the time. The only game left on the 2022 Haverhill High football schedule was the Thanksgiving rivalry game against Lowell High School. Last September, Johnathan Coucelos had just finished dressing in the freshman locker room when he got jumped by about a dozen teammates, a video recording shows. 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. He instills hard work, with strict rules, respect for team members and respect for adults at all times. The Globe's most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning. "Haverhill Public Schools will not tolerate hazing, harassment or retaliation in any form," the message reads. HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL Bullying claims date back years in Woburn High School football program By Bob Hohler Globe Staff,Updated February 26, 2022, While charges are pending for some students, Couceles says the coaches and school leadership should be held accountable, too. 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 Woburn School Superintendent Matthew Crowley issued a statement saying Coucelos was unjustly assaulted by other members of the football team. He wrote that Woburn is committed to providing enhanced training for athletic staff to ensure safe participation in athletics for all of our students., Crowley maintained that Woburns football coaches were aware of the prohibitions against bullying and hazing prior to the school year. Hahn said a hearing scheduled for Tuesday in Lowell Juvenile Court was moved to March. The county district attorney has indicated it will join local police in the investigation. 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. A FOOTBALL PLAYER IS TRYING TO PULL OFF CLOTHING FROM ANOTHER YOUNG MAN AND LATER ENDS UP ON TOP OF THE ALLEGED HAZING VICTIM. Officials in Woburn said Saturday that authorities are 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. On Sept. 25, 2018, three years to the day The committee will likely go into an executive session in order to determine the next steps that should be taken in the hazing investigation.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. The Haverhill School Committee was scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday. "It's just so wrong how they're handling it. Lowell Highs annual Thanksgiving Day football game against Haverhill has been canceled due to an alleged hazing incident involving Haverhill players that was After News Of Anti-Semitism On Duxburys Football Team, Where Does The Town Go From Here? Johnathan Coucelos, with his family: from left, mother, Jeanny, brother Jaxon, Johnathan, sister, Karmen, brother Jacob, and father, Kevin. Wilson said he wasnt surprised by news of bullying in Belchers program. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Just no, they're kids temperament, that stuff. 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 At the conclusion of the Title IX investigation, a second investigation, in the form of an administrative review and policy analysis will be conducted by a second outside agency, a firm headed by former Massachusetts Secretary of Public Safety and Security Daniel Bennett, Former State Police Colonel Kerry Gilpin and Attorney John Benzan. TONIGHT IS THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING HERE AT HAV. 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 MAYOR GOES ON TO SAY IM CONCERNED THIS HAPPENED, AND CONCERNED BY REPORTS THAT OTHER STUDENTS STOOD BY AND DID NOT INTERVENE. 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. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. ", Shop Our Favorite February Amazon Deals Before the Sales End, The 14 Best Mineral Sunscreens of 2023, According to Pros, 14 TikTok-Famous Cleaning Products That Actually Work, According to Our Experts, 14 Best Healthier Candy Alternatives of 2023, According to Taste Tests. 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. REPORTER: THE FOOTBALL STADIUM AND LOCKER ROOM IS 10 MINUTES OFF-CAMPUS. It was very nasty," said student Felix Molina. ", The teen was joined by his parents Kevin and Jeanny and his lawyer Peter Hahn, who said the school failed Coucelos. 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. 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. THE FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF IS ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. 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.. He was attacked in his Spanish class. Woburn police and the Middlesex District Attorneys office are now investigating. Parents of the boy who allegedly was kicked in 2018 also faulted the school administration. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. An investigation into that incident found players violated the school and athletic code of conduct, but that the actions did not legally rise to the level of bullying or hazing. 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. 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. THE TEAM IS FORFEITING THE REST OF THE SEASON. BOSTON, Ma. He says there needs to be more accountability. 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. But in recent years, perhaps spurred on by the random, gutless behavior enabled by social media, hazings descended into outright physical and psychological abuse, encouraged or ignored in some cases by adults in leadership positions. I FEEL BAD. Three years later, he became the head coach at Bedford High School. Hire A Woburn Area Pro To Get A Head Start On Spring Cleaning. Belcher started his high school coaching career as an assistant at Bishop Fenwick in 2001. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WCVB-TV. The 25 new centers are expected to ease the burden on emergency rooms for patients with behavioral health crises. "Saturday's statement did not provide details about the nature of the allegation and did not specifically mention the football team. 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