Police hit roadblock in Gwinnett baseball team investigation
Members of a prominent Gwinnett County high school baseball team who may have been physically or sexually abused by teammates on a team trip in South Carolina have declined to press charges, police said Thursday.
Gwinnett officials received an email tip last month that “contained an allegation of sexual assault” by some players on Parkview High School’s team during a trip to North Charleston. Police in that city began an investigation, but none of the parents of the alleged victims have actively cooperated with the inquiry.
“Nobody has come forward to file a complaint or report to conduct an investigation,” said North Charleston police spokesman Spencer Pryor.
An initial report by Gwinnett schools police backed up allegations of "physical and sexual battery" by six upperclassmen on the team, according to documents obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Parkview was ranked as the nation’s best high school baseball team by MaxPreps, a high school sports website.
About the Author
Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He currently writes about higher education and has assisted in the newsroom’s COVID-19 vaccine coverage. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.
