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Samantha Hayes Reporting Students from Wasatch High School traveled to St. George to play ball, but something else happened during the trip, and tonight several of them are suspended. Police are also investigating. They say six older team members "inducted" six younger members.
What's really interesting about this incident is the younger team members say there were not victims and never felt threatened or violated. But there is enough evidence that police are considering filing criminal charges.
The details of what happened inside the St. George hotel room did not come out until the Wasatch High School baseball team returned home.
Craig Harding, St. George Police Dept.: "Apparently it was a hazing incident where the older members induct the newer members through some sort of hazing incident."
Police say team members piled on top of each other and inappropriate contact may have happened. The victims say they did not feel violated, but the school already suspended several students involved.
Many schools are taking a hard line approach to hazing because courts have found them responsible. In 1993, in a case that made national news, a Sky View High School student was taped to a towel rack by teammates. In federal court the coach was found to have violated Brian Seamons' civil rights.
Brian Seamons, Former Hazing Victim: "There's a stark contrast in how my case was handled and how this case is being handled now."
Seamons says the way young people treat each other does not change, but the consequences have.
Brian Seamons: "People are going to continue to hurt other people. I tend to think the key to what happens is how the authorities, those outside the situation, how they act."
How they act, in Davis County at least, was influenced by Seamons' case. His attorney helped write the anti-hazing policy for the school district.
Chris Williams, Davis County School District: "If you know about it, even if you don't participate, you are also considered part of the situation."
But even when the penalties are on paper, schools say victims rarely come forward.
Chris Williams, Davis County School District: "The challenge we have is when victims and even their parents won't come to us and say, ‘I know a person who hazed my son or daughter.'"
Seamons encourages hazing victims to come forward. He says it helps the individual heal personally and may prevent others from becoming victims.
