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RIO RANCHO — The entire Rio Rancho High School junior varsity baseball team has been suspended from the program pending investigations into a player who allegedly urinated into a water jug, which several La Cueva High School baseball players may have drank from during a game last week.
Wyndham Kemsley, interim executive director of communications with RRPS, confirmed those developments to the Observer on Wednesday following a home game against La Cueva High School from Albuquerque on March 25, when the incident is believed to have occurred.
"We want to make it clear that the alleged behavior is abhorrent and does not represent the standards and values expected of all students who attend Rio Rancho Public Schools," Kemsley wrote in a statement. "If determined to be true, the discipline for all those involved will be severe."
He declined to offer more specifics about what the district knows, but La Cueva Principal Darrell Garcia wrote in a letter to families Monday that a student admitted to urinating in the jug and that "authorities in Rio Rancho are in the process of filing criminal charges."
Jacquelynn Reedy, public information officer with the Rio Rancho Police Department, wrote in an email Wednesday that an investigation into the incident is ongoing. She said she might have more information about the case by Friday.
The police department launched the investigation after La Cueva officials heard "rumors" of the incident and reached out to RRPS, Garcia wrote in his letter to families.
"Words cannot express how sorry we are that this happened. Behavior like this is disgusting and unacceptable," Garcia wrote, urging families to consult a physician if they think their child drank from the jug.
While the department's investigation could determine if criminal charges are warranted, Kemsley said the school district's investigation will determine which players might have been involved. Then, district officials can determine which policies might have been violated and what disciplinary action to take, he said.
The district also informed the New Mexico Activities Association of the incident, Kemsley said. NMAA is "aware of the situation and is working with RRPS as they finalize the investigation," J.P. Murrieta, NMAA sports information director, said.
The latest developments surrounding the high school baseball team comes after RRHS fired Wally Salata, head boy's basketball coach, after 16 seasons.
