To my knowledge, there have been no other bullying allegations made to the administration regarding this individual.. 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.. We're live in Woburn. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Today and every day, I urge every member of our community to be kind to one another and do everything in their power to be part of making our community kinder and stronger. Peter Hahn, the attorney representing the Couceles family, said five high school students are facing charges for assault and battery for the September incident. THE TEAM IS FORFEITING THE REST OF THE SEASON. The county district attorney has indicated it will join local police in the investigation. 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. 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.. THE MASSACHUSETTS INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION CREATING A PROGRAM WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE TO STOP HAZING AND TO REMIND STUDENTS PLAYING SPORTS IS A PRIVILEGE. A Woburn family is seeking charges against teenagers accused of assaulting their son in a high school locker room last fall. Woburn Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Matthew Crowley sent a letter to the community on Tuesday to provide an update on the "troubling situation involving the WMHS athletics program that has been covered in the news recently. 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. Whats more, the boy and his parents allege, school authorities failed to correct the abusive nature of Belchers coaching after they reported the incident. On Sept. 25, 2018, three years to the day before the Coucelos incident, a 15-year-old Woburn player was kicked so hard in the head by a teammate that he stumbled, dazed, from the practice field and vomited, he stated in a civil case pending before the state Supreme Judicial Court. Video shows alleged hazing incident that ended Haverhill football team's season, THE UNIVERSITY -- THE VIDEO YOU WILL SEE IS HIGHLY DISTURBING. "The matter has also been referred to the Haverhill Police Department for further investigation, according to the school officials' message. "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. TONIGHT IS THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING HERE AT HAV. But all these adults need to go.. Parents deserve to know when they send their kids to play high school sports that their children will be safe.. The remaining coaches reported hearing nothing unusual from their offices near the locker room, despite the loud commotion, which numerous players recorded. 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. Seven teenagers are facing criminal charges in connection to a hazing investigation in Woburn, Massachusetts. 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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. "Any such misconduct will be responded to swiftly and it will undoubtedly have lasting repercussions for all of those involved. Coucelos reported the violent incidents to coaches and the police who did not take enough action. Several media outlets have reported on a video, posted to Boston 25, allegedly showing members of the football team hazing a teenage boy. One football player was accused of indecent assault for allegedly yanking down Johnathans pants and touching his genitals in the locker room episode. Couceles says a student pulled down his sons pants and groped his genitals. PARENTS ARE NOW REVISITING BASIC RIGHTS AND WRONGSAT HOME. It's a sad situation and hopefully they figure out what happened and it doesn't happen again. 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. The Coucelos family accused school officials of putting the football teams interests ahead of student safety with their disciplinary measures. It was disgusting. 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. Its hard on all of us.. Crowley said they have reached out to the Couceles family. The 25 new centers are expected to ease the burden on emergency rooms for patients with behavioral health crises. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Andrews, a 2020 graduate of Endicott College, indicated his football experience was limited to Pop Warner and high school. I urge all people involved to cooperate completely with the investigators so that the best and most just outcome can be reached. OVERALL 7-4 0.64 Win %. 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. Bullying and hazing happen when you pit players against each other like he does, Wilson said. "I lost half of my friends. All rights reserved, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of New Hampshire: An NBC10 Boston Original, Crash Causes Injuries, Lane Closure on I-95 in Peabody, Tracking the Next Hit of Wintry Weather Headed to New England, Due Late Week, Even After Investigation, Stoneham Cop Hasn't Paid Dime of Rent to New Landlord, FIRST ALERT: As Snow Continues to Fall, Weekend Storm Promises More for Boston, JetBlue Plane, Private Jet Have Close Call' at Boston's Logan Airport: FAA. 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. 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. They explicitly and repeatedly informed the players of those prohibitions both prior to and subsequent to the [attack]., Crowleys assertion appears contrary to head freshman coach Chris Scichilones statement in the investigative report that training related to hazing or Title IX only occurred after the incident and Andrewss statement that he did not receive any formal training with respect to hazing until after the incident.. Couceles said his wife decided to pull their son out of the Woburn school for his safety in December. After months of waiting, the case is expected to be heard in juvenile court next month. "Haverhill Public Schools will not tolerate hazing, harassment or retaliation in any form," the message reads. "It was pretty nasty, making us look bad. The superintendent said in his letter Tuesday that Woburn Public Schools has retained outside private counsel -- the law firm of Butters Brazilian LLP and Attorney Patrick Hanley -- to conduct a comprehensive Title IX investigation, which remains ongoing. 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 Hazing in sports has long served as sort of an initiation rite, juvenile for the most part, not demeaning and vicious in nature. His new school joined in seeking the waiver and injunction. There was little to no supervision in the locker room, he said. Seven Woburn High School students are facing charges after a 14-year-old football player reported being attacked and sexually assaulted by his teammates. He says there needs to be more accountability. The federal Title IX law protects students against many forms of discrimination and violence, including bullying and hazing. Woburn, MA Police are pursuing criminal charges against seven students at Woburn Memorial High School after a freshman football player, 14-year-old Johnathan Lowell staged a miraculous comeback in last year s contest, scoring 34 points in the second half to stun the Hillies, 41-36. (CNN) - Police are investigating whether a juvenile football player was hazed, and sexually assaulted at school. The freshman football player is seen pulling up his pants in the video. The Rams released him in training camp before he was drafted by the Boston Breakers of the fledgling United States Football League. 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. Seven Massachusetts students charged in connection with alleged assaults on high school football teammate. ""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. He should have been fired., The Globe asked Belcher and other school officials to comment. He instills hard work, with strict rules, respect for team members and respect for adults at all times. The matter has also been referred to the Haverhill Police Department for further investigation, according to the school officials' message. 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. I also told the principal, who didnt stop him.. All seven face single counts of assault and battery, while one also is charged with indecent assault and battery for allegedly grabbing Couceloss genitals. "The Woburn Police Department and the Middlesex District Attorneys Office are currently investigating the incident. "We need to determine how this happened and what we can do so that this never happens again," Fiorentini said. CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS. A Woburn police detective has been assigned to the case. Its hard to watch but Kevin Couceles says cellphone video shared on social media shows his son being assaulted in the locker room of Woburn Memorial High School after a football game last September. This content is imported from Facebook. "The school official, superintendent, the principal, vice principal, coaches they all should [face] consequences.. Then I saw it boil over into the locker room because it caused kids to literally hate each other and fight off the field.. He was attacked in his Spanish class. Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said Thursday that he supported hiring an outside firm to conduct the investigation. 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. It was very nasty. But that disappointment pales in comparison to the disturbing allegations leveled at members of the Haverhill High School football team. It's not good for our school. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. "We need to determine how this happened and what we can do so that this never happens again," Fiorentini said. While the coach generally treated his son relatively well because he was one of the teams better players Logan is now a quarterback at Fitchburg State University Wilson said he was aware of Belchers practice of pitting older, stronger players against other teammates. The Haverhill School Committee was scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday. Officials said in Saturday's statement that the incident involved a sports team and an alleged incident that occurred "earlier in the school year.". The Middlesex County District Attorney's office says Woburn police notified them about the allegations and are investigating. How will the Mass. James Austin's son is on the football team. Join us. KYMA/CBS 13/KECY is an equal opportunity employer. Student leaders of the Woburn team took a stand in recent days supporting Belcher. }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. Callanan said in an e-mail, I can reaffirm that I acted appropriately throughout my handling of the familys claims and that much of the information provided to you to date, and which you have printed, is inaccurate.. 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. The former Woburn player asserted the waiver was warranted in part because of the trauma he allegedly endured in Belchers program. Woburn Police have assigned a detective to the case. I JUST THINK ITS AWFUL. mm 34 32 Ruben high school football team on the gridiron in a friday night matchup against Melrose. I don't think any town or any school is immune from it. An alleged hazing incident is under investigation at the high school in Woburn, Massachusetts. AT LEAST ONE PERSON IS WEARING A HAVERHIL FOOTBALL SHIRT. A FOOTBALL PLAYER IS TRYING TO PULL OFF CLOTHING FROM ANOTHER YOUNG MAN AND LATER ENDS UP ON TOP OF THE ALLEGED HAZING VICTIM. Woburn officials on Saturday issued a statement confirming that a detective was assigned to an investigation involving a high school sports team. 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