Charges recommended for Broward students accused of hazing

Cooper City High School players involved in alleged incident on road trip

COOPER CITY, Fla. – Local 10 News has learned that detectives are recommending charges against members of the Cooper City High School baseball team for an alleged hazing incident during a road trip earlier this year.

A parent first drew attention to the incident involving her 16-year-old son, a member of the team, which she said occurred during a tournament in Altamonte Springs in March.

According to the Broward Sheriff's Office report, the student told his mother that five teammates came into his room and pulled his underwear down before he was able to fight them off.

The student said he witnessed the same group of boys hold down another teammate on a later night and "put their fingers up his butt."

The same student claims he heard, but did not see, another incident where the boys took another student and "put a Gatorade bottle up his butt."

When another player complained to the coach, the coach allegedly replied, "It's just baseball, keep it to yourself."

After their investigation, Altamonte Springs police are now calling for charges against eight of the teens who could face charges of simple battery, false imprisonment and sexual battery.

The coach of the team at the time, Chris Delgado, was never publicly identified as being involved, but has since left the school.

The victims said they were threatened by other members of the team for talking about the incident.

Detectives conducted interviews with three of the alleged victims.

Local 10 News reporter Michael Seiden spoke with the mother of one of the victims on Monday. She said she has mixed emotions because on one hand, she feels they're one step closer to justice, but at the same time, she and her son have to deal with this nightmare on a daily basis.

"School leadership and the district's special investigative unit continue to cooperate with the Altamonte Springs Police Department's investigation," Broward County Public Schools spokeswoman Tracy Clark said in a statement. "The school has taken the allegations very seriously. At all times, the safety and security of our students are our highest priorities."

The investigation has now been turned over to the state attorney's office in Seminole County.