Three Ooltewah High School basketball team members have been charged with aggravated rape and assault in the hazing of a 15-year-old freshman teammate.
The three are juveniles and are being held in a juvenile facility in Gatlinburg, where the alleged incident took place.
Ooltewah High has kicked the three boys off the basketball team.
The team was playing in a tournament in Gatlinburg, and the boys were staying at a rental cabin.
A family member said the 15-year-old "was tortured by three of his teammates." She said he initially was taken to LeConte Medical Center in Sevierville by his coach, Andre Montgomery. However, he was treated and released.
The family member said, "He was not given a proper exam and collapsed the following day. Once he collapsed, he was taken by ambulance to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. He had to undergo emergency surgery, as his colon and bladder were ruptured. He is still in the hospital recovering at this time."
The family member said it was initially unclear as to how he sustained such injuries. However, she said "it was later found that he was beaten and sodomized by fellow teammates." She said they used a wooden pool stick to sodomize him.
She said he "is expected to recover within 2-3 months. However, he is having nightmares. He has stated that he thought that he was going to die as a result of the assault. In addition, once he is finally discharged he has to wear a catheter and colostomy bag for at least two weeks or longer."
She said the victim's mother "is a single parent. She has been working on her job for less than a year. Therefore, she is on an unpaid leave."
The family member said the oldest boy charged is 17.
A Gofundme account has been set up for the boy and his family. It can be found here.