Mater Dei High School facing allegations of assault and hazing within boys' water polo program

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Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Mater Dei facing allegations of assault, hazing in water polo program
The Santa Ana Police Department is investigating allegations of assault and hazing within the Mater Dei High School boys' water polo program.

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- The Santa Ana Police Department is investigating allegations of assault and hazing within the Mater Dei High School boys' water polo program.

The school has been the subject of multiple investigations into alleged hazing involving Mater Dei athletes over the last six months.

RELATED: No evidence of hazing found during investigation into incident at Mater Dei, DA says

The Orange County District Attorney says there isn't a "shred of evidence" indicating that an alleged hazing incident at Mater Dei High School involving two student athletes was a crime, but rather "a mutual combat situation."

Police say they've conducted multiple interviews and anticipate submitting the case to the Orange County District Attorney.

This comes just months after school president Walter Jenkins was re-assigned to the Holy Cross order in South Bend, Ind., where he would "take on a new assignment,'' according to the Orange County Register.

READ MORE: Mater Dei High School president Walter E. Jenkins leaving in wake of alleged hazing probe

The Orange County District Attorney says there isn't a "shred of evidence" indicating that an alleged hazing incident at Mater Dei High School involving two student athletes was a crime, but rather "a mutual combat situation."

Mater Dei says it was made aware of an alleged incident after a boys' water polo team practice and notified police, and that its top priority remains the well being and safety of its students.

According to the Orange County Register, Mater Dei principal Frances Clare is aware of the investigation and at least two players have left the water polo program amid the alleged hazing.

The investigation comes amid separate sexual assault and rape allegations stemming from the 1980s.

READ MORE: Lawsuit accuses Mater Dei football, track coach of raping 17-year-old student-athlete in 1980s

A woman has filed a lawsuit accusing a former Mater Dei High School track and football coach of raping her while she was student at the Santa Ana school in the 1980s.