Chester County DA: 3 Conestoga High School Football Players Admit To Harassing Teammate In Hazing Incident
TREDYFFERIN, Pa. (CBS) -- The Chester County District Attorney's Office said Tuesday that three Conestoga High School football players admitted to harassing their teammate in a hazing incident.
In October 2015, the three 17-year-old players were accused of penetrating the juvenile victim, believed to be 14, with a broomstick. District Attorney Tom Hogan charged the players in March 2016. However, Tuesday's statement paints a different picture of what occurred.
Football Coach Resigns Amid Hazing Controversy At Conestoga High School
The statement reveals that the victim, along with other younger football players, was told to clean the locker room. When the victim refused and attempted to leave, "he was shoved, pushed and briefly held down by the three charged juveniles in an effort to clean the locker room."
One of the players then briefly poked the victim with a broom stick in the leg.
"The intent of the charged juveniles was to scare the victim and coerce him to cooperate with other team members in the joint cleanup of the locker room, and not to do the victim any physical harm," the statement reads. "The victim did not suffer any physical injury, and reported the incident to his father months later, after the victim was charged with a juvenile offense."
Conestoga High School Parents Demand Answers Regarding Hazing Incident
The statement continued, "Because this case is a juvenile matter, all the records are sealed and the parties will not be making any further public comment. The victim, the charged juveniles, and their respective families all would like the opportunity to move on with their lives. We all hope never to see an incident like this in Chester County again."
The names of the victim and the accused were not released.
Conestoga High School football coach John Vogan resigned in March following the revelation of the incident.
