EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) -
A parent speaks on Tuesday night about an alleged hazing incident involving the Memorial High School cheerleading squad.
The school's superintendent says disciplinary action has been taken against some cheerleaders and three coaches have resigned.
A mom says her daughter was held for hours against her will. This confirmed details written in a letter to 14 News.
Residents of Lake Ridge Crossing neighborhood in Newburgh received that unexpected letter in their mailboxes, telling about the alleged hazing event involving the Memorial High School cheerleading squad.
"It is just unbelievable something like that might have occurred," said Newburgh resident Pam Starrett.
The hazing is alleged to have happened at a recent cheerleading camp in Tennessee.
A mom tells 14 News that junior cheerleaders held sophomore cheerleaders for three hours in a dorm room.
In that time, the mom says the junior cheerleaders asked the sophomores to remove their shirts to give lap dances to the juniors. The mom says most of the girls refused to take off their clothes saying they were embarrassed and felt harassed.
On Tuesday, Memorial High School released a statement saying the school has investigated the incident, but won't comment publicly on its findings.
The school said, "Reitz Memorial high school has never and will never tolerate any behavior from our students that is inappropriate, intimidating or which makes others feel uncomfortable or unsafe in any way."
Residents of the Lake Ridge Crossing neighborhood say they're just shocked by what they've heard.
"I was sickened by it to think that those girls had went away and they couldn't get to their parents. They weren't at home, they were away. They needed help and they couldn't get it," said Connie Wells, who received the letter.
The mom 14 News spoke with says this type of activity has been going on for years, and that it was encouraged by two of the coaches.
One of the coaches, Jill Mitchell denies the claims and she wrote a statement to 14 News saying if this had happened during her watch, she would not have condoned it.
This is still a developing story. We will keep you updated.
To read more about this story and full statements from Memorial and Mitchell, click here.
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