Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. – A former football player from Santa Margarita Catholic High School has come forward sharing a troubling account of an alleged sexual assault that occurred last month, allegedly involving several teammates before practice. The boy, now 16 years old, is represented by attorney Brian Williams from Greenberg Gross LLP.
During the incident, as described by Williams, the lights in the locker room were turned off. The victim was reportedly ambushed by a group of teammates who pinned him down and restrained him before the alleged assault took place. “My client walked into that locker room to prepare for practice and was violently ambushed by multiple teammates,” Williams stated.
In response to the incident, the victim and his mother have filed a lawsuit against the high school and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Orange. The legal action includes claims of negligence and emotional distress, accusing the school of failing to provide a safe environment. “This is not normal,” emphasized Williams. “No child should have to fear walking into a locker room.”
According to the lawsuit, after the assault, the victim attempted to seek help only to be intercepted by another player who reportedly remarked, “This is football, you knew what you were signing up for.” Williams disagreed, asserting, “This is not football. It’s not a game; this is a serious issue that no child should face.”
The Diocese of Orange has stated that they are taking the allegations very seriously and are committed to ensuring a safe environment for all students. They indicated that the school has taken precautionary measures, including placing the head football coach on administrative leave.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department was contacted concerning the allegations and has conducted interviews with 15 individuals connected to the school. According to Sergeant Frank Gonzalez, it was determined that there were elements of a misdemeanor level of sexual assault or sexual battery involved in the incident. The findings from the investigation will be passed along to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office should the victim’s mother decide to press charges.
The victim is now facing emotional challenges, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety as a result of the alleged incident. Attorney Williams believes that this may not be an isolated event and is encouraging any other possible victims to come forward to seek help.
