“Heartbreaking”: Video apparently shows college baseball players sexually harassing a female student

A disturbing video appears to show a former California junior high school baseball player being allegedly harassed and bullied by first-team players, Fox 11 reported.

The video, obtained by Fox 11, appears to show a player being forcibly put in a headlock in a locker room while another approaches him from behind and simulates a sex act. After a few moments, a player in a white shirt appears to give the victim a “wedgie.” Players can be heard joking and laughing in the background. What the source describes as a PVC pipe appears to be pushed against him, in what is alleged to be sexual harassment.

The student, whose name was not disclosed because he was under 18 at the time of the alleged bullying, is suing the school district for $3 million in damages for alleged physical, emotional, mental and verbal abuse, according to Fox 11. The lawsuit also accuses the district of assault, torture, harassment, and significant neglect and bullying.

“While one varsity player held (the student) in a headlock, another player attempted a dry hook on him and another varsity player shoved a PVC pipe into his rectal area. There is video evidence to corroborate this story,” the lawsuit states. “In fact, varsity team members often recorded the hazing/bullying incidents and then sent the videos to the entire varsity baseball team via a group chat.”

A student who attended Upland High School as a freshman in 2023 and joined the freshman baseball team has left the school and is now suing the district following serious hazing incidents related to the varsity baseball team. https://t.co/YrmAMMglqu

— FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) May 29, 2024

According to the lawsuit, varsity baseball coach Aldo Garvick restricted locker room access to varsity players only, leaving JV and freshman players often with no choice but to change outside or in the dugouts, Fox 11 reported. This allegedly exposed them to harassment, according to the source.

University students allegedly stole their bags and took them to the locker room, the lawsuit says, the newspaper reported. When the younger players tried to get the items back, the older ones allegedly bullied, harassed and sexually and physically abused them.

The student’s attorney, Elan Zektser, told Fox 11 that “staff and coaches knew about the hazing.” Garvick allegedly ignored what was going on, encouraging the ongoing hazing, according to the news outlet. (RELATED TOPIC: Middle school football players allegedly forced to simulate sexual acts in bizarre initiation ritual: REPORT)

“Coach Garvick’s son was part of the varsity team, which gave him even more insight into the events,” Zektser alleged in the lawsuit.

The Upland Unified School District told Fox 11 that “our district leaders are taking this situation very seriously… The district will continue to take appropriate disciplinary action as needed.”