Criminal Charges Sought In Alleged Hazing

BOSTON -- Criminal charges will be filed in an alleged case of hazing at Sandwich High School that left a 14-year-old football player badly hurt last week.

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NewsCenter 5's Jack Harper reported that District Attorney Michael O'Keefe is seeking criminal complaints against nine members of the Sandwich High School football team after a freshman member of the team suffered a ruptured spleen.

The players will be charged with a combination of charges including assault and battery, causing serious bodily injury and hazing. Two students also face felony charges because of the seriousness of the injuries.

"We are seeking complaints still against two students for hazing and for assault and battery causing serious bodily injury. And for the other students who were involved, complaints of hazing will be sought," said O'Keefe.

Garrett Watterson, who underwent emergency surgery to remove his spleen, was discharged from Jordan Hospital in Plymouth on Tuesday.

"This young man who was the victim of this event is going to be living with this for the rest of his life. And while intent certainly to cause that kind of harm to him I am sure was not present, that is not the point," said O'Keefe.

The nine students were suspended from school after the incident.

"The travesty of the whole thing is that these aren't bad kids. It was a bad mistake and somebody almost died. That has to be dealt with in some way, so this is the way we've chose to deal with it," said Sandwich police Chief Michael Miller.

According to officials, Watterson was grabbed by his ankles and slammed to the ground by the group of players.

Players Ryan C. Carroll, Michael Deletti, Matthew W. Payne and Andrew Haley, all 17, were named by the Cape & Islands district attorney's office. Five juvenile players were not named.

Meanwhile, speaking only with NewsCenter 5's Amalia Barreda, Watterson's mother, who did not want to be identified, said she feels for the students and their families.

"They probably don't understand the severity of what happened to Garrett. I'm sure of that. Or what the outcome would have been to what they did," she said.

Watterson's mother said he is improving.

"He is still very tired; he is still very weak. We are working on building him up and, hopefully, we will get him back to where he was," she said.

Watterson will return to Sandwich High School when he recovers.