Five former high school football players from Maryland are accused of hiring three prostitutes last weekend after playing a season opener against Hillside High in Durham.
The student athletes have been removed from the DeMatha Catholic High School football team. And Friday night, NBC Washington reported all five players had withdrawn from the school.
School officials were tipped off by a parent to the activity, according to reports. The school says the players hired the prostitutes from a call service and engaged in sexual activities with them in a hotel room.
Morrisville Police says the alleged incident took place at the Holiday Inn on Airport Boulevard.
Dr. Daniel McMahon, DeMatha’s principal, says 18 chaperones were sent with the 65 players to Durham.
He says expectations for behavior were reinforced through out the trip. McMahon says room checks were conducted at 1:30 a.m. until 4:30 a.m. on the morning of the incident. He says the incident happened after 5 a.m. last Saturday, after the adults had gone to bed.
The school had been largely quiet about the incident until Friday morning.
McMahon says he and the school stand behind football coach Elijah Brooks, his staff and those who chaperoned the trip to Durham.
“The school community is saddened and hurt by the actions of these few who do not reflect the character of the community,” McMahon said in a written statement.
The Morrisville Police Department says it has opened an investigation into the incident, but no arrests have been made.
It is unclear how old the players involved in the reported sexual activity are, however, they are reportedly underage.
Police have not said what escort service, if any was, used or how the girls were hired.
Vicki Barber, the hotel’s general manager, released a statement saying, “The team was adequately chaperoned and drew no complaints during their stay from hotel employees or other guests.
“We have since been approached by law enforcement investigating an alleged incident and we are cooperating in that investigation.”
