The football program at Santa Margarita Catholic High School is under investigation after at least nine players were allegedly sexually assaulted by teammates.
As reported by the Orange County Register, one student who is suing the school and the Diocese of Orange alleges that 15 to 18 older players sexually assaulted him last month.
“Santa Margarita principal Cheri Wood, in a series of emails obtained by the Orange County Register, admitted that ‘at least 8’ other Eagles players were allegedly assaulted by their teammates in a similar manner,” the report adds.
Other school officials, however, have characterized the situation differently, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Santa Margarita Catholic High School President J. Andrew Sulick told the families of those involved in the football program that the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s investigation into the incident found “no evidence of sexual assault,” the Times reports.
Sulick added that the school conducted an investigation of its own and has since hired a third-party law firm for an additional review.
“These measures reflect a responsible and proactive approach that our campus community is taking as the investigation continues,” he wrote.
The Register reports that the OCSD inquiry “determined that the assault was not sexual in nature,” and the boy and his family reportedly told deputies they didn’t want to press criminal charges, though they have a year to do so.
In a statement to the Times, Bradley Zint, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Orange, said that the “Diocese of Orange and Santa Margarita Catholic High School take these allegations seriously and are committed to addressing them thoroughly and transparently.”
In addition, head coach Anthony Rouzier was placed on administrative leave, a decision announced on Oct. 1.
