High School Sex Scandal

Craig Civale reports

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CHICO, Texas — What started out as an apparent game involving sex acts has now turned criminal for a Wise County high school student.

Kyler Hale, a senior at Chico High School, has been suspended and faces serious charges in a scandal that has rocked the small community that is located about an hour northwest of Fort Worth.

Sources told News 8 that more than one dozen boys and girls at Chico High School are involved in the incident that led to a 10-month-long investigation.

Hale, a football player at the school, was arrested on campus last week and is accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old freshman, according to police reports. He is accused of assaulting the teen at her home, in his truck and in the parking lot of the school.

But according to Hale's attorney and some parents, the accusations stem from young girls at the school who used sex to try and fit in.

"It just started to be a game to them," said "Annie," a parent who asked to be anonymous because her son is involved in the investigation. "And they chose these guys because they were popular."

Annie said a group of freshman girls targeted mainly football players.

"It started as texting," she said. "Then the guys had a vehicle, and the girls would sneak out at night, and they would pick them up and one thing led to another and sex became involved."

Several parents have complained to police that their underage daughters were sexually assaulted, but so far only Hale has been charged.

The Wise County district attorney told News 8 charges against other students could follow.

"Does he regret it? You bet," Annie said about her son's activities. "Has he learned from it? Yes, he has."

E-mail ccivale@wfaa.com