Tragic Loss of Student
News of the death of a Loudon County teen was a grim reminder that tragic consequences occur when students are subjected to hazing in college fraternity rituals and that the problem is only getting worse.
On Saturday, Richmond City Police were called to the Delta Chi Fraternity House on Clay Street in Richmond due to reports of someone being “down.” When they arrived, they found 19 year old freshman Adam Oakes, of Loudon County, Virginia. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Adam’s parent’s believe that Adam’s death was caused by hazing at the fraternity. Investigations are underway. Family members of the deceased have stated that they have been told that students were drinking heavily that night.
The VCU chapter of the Delta Chi fraternity has been ordered to “cease and desist” by the national organization. VCU has also suspended all fraternity activities while university officials complete an investigation.
This Isn’t the First Time that Someone’s Child Has Died This Way
In 2019, I represented a mother who was facing the unimaginable loss of her son, Michael Walker. Michael, like Adam, was pledging a fraternity. He hoped by joining Sigma Alpha Kappa he would make more friends and experience “college life”. On April 16, 2017, Michael, a student at Ferrum College, went to an off-campus party, where he consumed large amounts of alcohol as part of a host of hazing rituals that included paddling, sleep deprivation, and excessive consumption. Since it was initiation night, Michael went to the party believing this would be the last night he would endure such treatment. That night he was pressured to consume excessive amounts of alcohol, was not provided any supervision or medical treatment even after he became ill and was not able to walk on his own. The next morning, first responders were called because Michael lay unresponsive. Paramedics were also unable to awaken him and he was taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital where he slipped into a coma and died eight days later.
And it’s not Just a Problem in Virginia
Hazing deaths occur nationwide in all types of schools to all kinds of kids. Last January, the body of a student at Cornell was found in the bottom of a gorge. His parents have filed a lawsuit against the national fraternity Phi Kappa Psi, the chapter members at Cornell University, and Cornell University for alleged hazing. The case has yet to be resolved.
In 2017, a 19 year old Penn State student was severely injured when he was hazed as a pledge at the Beta Theta Pi House. The house had been recently renovated and had security cameras installed throughout. Footage obtained from those cameras show the victim, Timothy Piazza, being led through an obstacle course called “The Gauntlet” where he was forced to consume large amounts of alcohol. After becoming very drunk, the footage shows the victim falling down a flight of stairs as well as falling onto fixtures and a tiled floor. Medical experts assume that Timothy suffered traumatic brain injuries and a ruptured spleen during these falls. The footage also showed the victim losing consciousness several times and brothers of the fraternity preventing witnesses from calling for help. As of November of 2017, 26 members of the Beta Theta Pi Chapter of Penn State faced criminal charges that included but were not limited to, hazing, distribution of alcohol to a minor, unlawful acts relative to liquor, involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence. The willingness of these young men to throw their futures away to “honor” the traditions of the fraternity is astounding. After the death of Tim Piazza, a law was passed in Pennsylvania to enforce stricter penalties to individuals who participate in hazing. Appropriately named, “Tim’s Law” advocates a zero-tolerance policy against hazing, allows law enforcement to charge those responsible for death or severe injury in hazing deaths with a 3rd degree felony and fines up to $15,000 and imprisonment up to seven years. The law also calls for more education centered on hazing behaviors and clear outlines as to which behaviors are defined as hazing. It also allows for universities to seize properties belonging to fraternities and sororities that do not comply.
Stricter Hazing Laws are Great for Pennsylvania but What About Virginia?
Unfortunately, the Virginia Legislature has not taken swift action against the tide of these reoccurring hazing death incidents. Currently, Virginia law allows law enforcement to charge those participating in hazing with class one misdemeanors. In the event a serious injury or death happens as a result of hazing, victims can pursue restitution in civil court.
And that’s were I can help. As I stated earlier, I have experience representing the mother of an individual who was killed by fraternity hazing practices. His death was senseless and could have been prevented. Even after the hazing occurred his so-called “brothers” did not call for help or attempt to save his life. They instead chose to try and protect themselves and the reputation of their fraternity. They failed on both accounts because the mother of their victim exercised her right under Virginia Law to hold those young men and Ferrum College accountable for their actions.
