Pell City student a victim of hazing and injury, lawsuit states

Mar. 14—A lawsuit filed March 8, by the parents of a student against the Pell City school district, Superintendent James Martin, Pell City Police Department, and the high school principal, baseball coach among others states that the student received a concussions when older baseball teammates hazed him by beating him up with pillows.

According to the Associated Press, the parents say that their son attended a "midnight madness" event with teammates in January. At that event, they said, their son was beaten with pillows that contained concealed objects. Others boys were also injured during the event, the parents said.

The head coach failed to call the parents about the incident, gave the boy medicine and told him to go to sleep until morning, the lawsuit states.

A video was later viewed by the mother of the student, according to the lawsuit, showing baseball players hitting someone with pillows. A doctor who treated the student diagnosed him with a concussion, the lawsuit states.

Also according to the lawsuit, Pell City High School Principal Holly Costello met with the mother in late January and was told that the incident had been handled "on the inside."

According to the Associated Press, the family said that police and school officials closed the complaints. A lawyer for the family, J.D. Gilbert, told a local television news outlet that the family feels no one has been held accountable.

A statement from Pell City Police Chief Clay Morris also told the station, WBRC, that the family's claims are false and it was determined by police that no criminal conduct had taken place.