WALL TOWNSHIP – A number of juvenile complaints have been filed against several Wall Township High School students in connection to the ongoing investigations regarding hazing in the locker room, officials said.
Between September and October, a series of incidents were being investigated in the Wall Township High School football team’s locker room that included harassment, sexual contact and more.
Juvenile complaints charging hazing, attempted criminal sexual contact, criminal sexual contact, false imprisonment, and harassment were filed against the juvenile defendants.
In a separate investigation, unrelated to the hazing investigation, juvenile complaints charging aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault were also filed against one juvenile in connection with alleged incident that happened outside of school.
Both investigations have been conducted in consultation with the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General (OAG), and in strict adherence to OAG Directive No. 2020-12, Establishing Policies, Practices, and Procedures to Promote Juvenile Justice Reform, issued in December 2020.
“The results of our investigations necessitated the filing of juvenile complaints against those involved in order to serve the interests of justice,” Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey said. “It is imperative that victims of hazing, harassment, intimidation, and bullying know that such conduct is not a ‘rite of passage’ and should not be endured without consequence in order to gain acceptance in social, club, sport, or academic settings. We are hopeful that the lessons gleaned from this case foster a renewed focus on actively teaching juveniles in all of our schools what conduct crosses the line of acceptability, and what students must do if they are a bystander or victim of hazing, harassment, intimidation, or bullying.”
Although information is not released regarding most juvenile cases, the Prosecutor’s Office said they announced this much in order to stop misinformation from circulating.
At this time, no additional information will be released and the specific number of juvenile defendants involved will not be disclosed, police said.
