The Baylor Bears have lost a number of recruits and signees while firing head coach Art Briles in the midst of a serious sexual assault scandal surrounding the university. One of the more serious accusations was that the coaching staff knew about the assault incident involving former running back Devin Chafin’s dismissal.
One former Baylor student, Dolores Lozano, claimed that Chafin had assaulted her a few years ago saying that he had choked her and threw her to the ground. Chafin, who was dismissed for his arrest for marijuana possession in March, denied those reports.
Lozano also said that Briles knew of the incident and told Chafin to stay away from the student. It was also reported that Jeff Lebby, Briles’s son-in-law and Baylor’s current passing game coordinator, knew of the assault.
On Wednesday, Baylor released a statement defending its football team and the coaching staff. However, they also said that they are willing to work with their students on any accusations such as Lozano’s.
“We are committed to learning from the experiences of our students and former students as Baylor implements the improvements identified in the Pepper Hamilton recommendations. Because of the complex nature of dating and domestic violence, even when complainants report abuse to the police, their school and others, complainants may be reluctant to move forward with a campus or criminal investigation. In developing informed and sensitive responses, we must be open to understanding the unique dynamics of dating and domestic violence, including individual barriers and safety considerations, and to supporting our students as they evaluate their options. Further, we are actively taking steps to ensure all of our students understand and trust the full range of resources available to them.”
For what it is worth, campus police have stated that Lozano refused to work with them at the initial time of the incident in 2014.
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
