UPDATE: Student arrested in connect with sexual assault at Mishawaka High school
Posted: Dec 17, 2011 2:09 AM EDT | Updated: Nov 6, 2014 2:56 PM EDT
MISHAWAKA, Ind. -- A 15-year-boy, who attends Mishawaka High School, says he was forcibly sodomized by five of his classmates.
One of the teens suspected of the sexual assault was arrested late Friday night and is now being held at the Juvenile Justice Center.
Now, the head coach for Mishawaka High School's wrestling team, Darrick Snyder, is under fire after allegations surfaced that the teacher was suspended by the school because he failed to report the sexual assault.
Former teammates and parents told ABC 57 News they do not think head coach Darrick Snyder would have covered up the sexual assault if he knew about it.
"I have always looked up to him. He is great teacher, a great coach and a great mentor," says former student and wrestler Gary Brooks.
Brooks graduated last year after he wrestled all four years at Mishawaka High School. He says it was his favorite part of high school because of the close friendship he developed along the way.
That is why he was so surprised when he heard about the sexual assault.
"I was shocked. I would never expect anything like that to happen especially with and the Mishawaka wrestling team," says Brooks.
However, sources close to ABC 57 say five of the wrestlers on the team forcibly sodomized a fellow teammate with broom stick during a wrestling camp back in January 2010 as a form of hazing.
Sources say Snyder knew about the hazing but never reported it.
Still, Brooks defends his former coach and team.
"No we have never done anything like that, like I said, we were very disciplined and wouldn't do anything stupid or try and get in trouble or anything close to that," says Brooks.
Yet, the school suspended the Snyder with pay.
Since hearing the news, many of Snyder's former players and parents came to his defense saying he would never allow something like that to happen on his watch.
"I believe that if he would have known, he would have went to someone right away because he is really against anything like that and bullying and everything," says Brooks.
Friday night's home wrestling match against Lowell High School was canceled as a result of the sexual assault allegations.