Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez has ordered her office's sex crimes division to look into alleged hazing cases as Maine West High School.
The "complete and thorough, top-to-bottom" review began Tuesday, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
At least four student athletes on the soccer and baseball teams have come forward alleging they were sexually assaulted by their teammates and that the coaches knew what was going on but turned a blind eye. A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of the students.
Coaches Michael Divincenzo and Emilio Rodriguez have been reassigned pending the investigation and several part-time coaches have been fired. Six Maine West students have been charged as juveniles with battery and hazing while four other players have been disciplined by the school.
The state's attorney investigation comes a day after a request by the Illinois' Department of Children and Family Services asked Alvarez to look into whether any district employees broke the law.
The hazing incidents came to light last month when a mother said her freshman son was sexually assaulted in September during a hazing ritual by other members of the soccer team.
Police reports obtained by the Sun-Times indicate that one coach watched one of the incidents and later congratulated the victim.
