Locker Room Rape, Abusive Behavior To Be Investigated By Firm

GERMANTOWN, MD — The Montgomery County public school system will hire an external firm to investigate its reporting practices and supervision procedures following a reported rape involving Damascus High School football players. Superintendent Jack Smith announced the decision in a letter on Sunday to Damascus High School parents and guardians.

Four 15-year-old boys are accused of raping several of their teammates with a broom handle in a hazing ritual called "brooming." The teens, who were initially charged as adults with rape and attempted rape, have had their cases transferred back to the juvenile court system. However, news of the alleged locker room attack last Halloween continues to rock the Damascus High School community.

In a letter to parents, Smith said state prosecutors approved the school district's request to begin an internal investigation of its athletic supervision procedures and expects it to conclude in a matter of weeks.

"Last month, the State's Attorney's Office approved our request to begin an internal investigation of the supervision of the boys' locker room on the afternoon of October 31, 2018. This investigation is under way, and we expect it to conclude in the coming weeks," Smith wrote. "Additionally, we will expand our investigation to include reporting practices and supervision of athletics and other extracurricular activities more broadly at Damascus High School, in the context of such practices and structures across MCPS. As we move forward, we will seek expert support from an external firm, and we will make sure to continue to collaborate closely with the State's Attorney's Office and the Montgomery County Police Department."

According to Smith, the State's Attorney's Office has also launched an investigation into allegations of assault, bullying, and hazing at the high school.

"As part of the State's Attorney's Office investigation, they have subpoenaed student records regarding any of these behaviors for all students who participated in athletics at Damascus High School from 2013 to present."

This letter comes several weeks after The Washington Post reported that Damascus High School officials waited more than 12 hours to tell authorities about the alleged locker room rape.

The Post reported that school officials discussed the incident in a group text message on Halloween and launched their own investigation before reaching out to the Montgomery County Police Department.

On Nov. 1, they pulled students out of class for interviews and were able to glean more details about the incident — including the identities of several victims and suspects.

According to the newspaper, none of the victims were sent to receive medical care following the alleged attack. Their parents weren't notified of what happened either.

SEE ALSO:

• Broomstick Rape Case: Damascus Teen To Be Tried As Juvenile
• Broomstick Rape Case: 2nd Damascus Teen To Be Tried As Juvenile
• Locker Room Rape Case: Third Teen To Be Tried As Juvenile
• Locker Room Rape Case: ADHD Defense Called 'Offensive'