Disturbing video shows Southern California student being attacked in alleged bullying incident

A disturbing video shows a Southern California student being physically and sexually assaulted in an alleged hazing incident.

The victim, who had joined the Upland High School baseball team, was subjected to constant attacks, bullying and harassment, the teen’s family said.

“It’s heartbreaking and disturbing,” said Priscilla Villanueva, the victim’s mother.

An attack on the boy in the locker room on February 14 was captured on cell phone video.

The boy is seen being held in a headlock by a teammate. As he tries to free himself, he is surrounded by other players who pull on his pants and eventually sexually assault him, the boy’s mother said.

“Another student or a teammate takes a PVC pipe and inserts it into his butt while another student films his face while he is grabbed in the head,” Villanueva said. “Then he is thrown to the ground and they continue to choke him.”

Members of the university’s baseball team are said to have subjected younger students to the hazing rituals. According to the victim’s family, they often recorded the attacks and sent the videos to a group chat.

The family also claims that the team’s coach ignored the initiation rituals and the school administration failed to protect the students.

Villanueva said her son is in no hurry to return to school and is being home-schooled for now. She recalled noticing a personality change in her son but did not know it was due to bullying.

“He’s a really outgoing kid and very silly and funny, and that’s slowly changed,” Villanueva said. “I start to fool around and mess around, but that’s where it starts and then it goes too far, and that’s the problem.”

Following the incident, the family filed a lawsuit against the Upland Unified School District, seeking over three million dollars in damages.

Since the assault video was released, the family’s attorney said they have received calls from other students who also say they were harassed and bullied on campus. District officials said the incident is being investigated internally and externally.

A statement from the Upland Unified School District Superintendent’s Office said:

“Our district leaders are taking this situation very seriously with an unwavering commitment to the safety of our students. The district has launched an internal investigation into the alleged incident involving physical misconduct by players on the UHS baseball team. An experienced outside investigator has interviewed players, coaches and administrators to determine exactly what happened. The family of the alleged victim has filed a financial claim with the district. We are careful not to compromise the confidentiality of the ongoing investigation. We must respect the privacy and due process rights of all those involved. Therefore, we will not discuss further details at this time. The district will continue to take appropriate disciplinary action as needed.”

Footage of the incident can be seen in the video player above.

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