Ohio university suspends fraternity and charges it with six code of conduct violations after student, 20, died following 'hazing ritual where he was blindfolded and forced to drink a bottle of alcohol'
Bowling Green State University has charged Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity with violating six code of conduct rules after one of their pledges died following a hazing ritual.
Stone Foltz, 20, who was a sophomore business major at the Ohio university, passed away in hospital on March 7 - three days after he was allegedly forced into a drinking ritual while pledging Pi Kappa Alpha's Delta Beta chapter.
Foltz was found unconscious by a roommate on March 4 after members of the fraternity allegedly dropped him off at his apartment. He was put on life support and died after his family arranged for his organs to be donated.
On Friday, the university charged with fraternity with one count of 'hazing', four counts of 'offenses against persons' and one count of 'offenses disrupting order or disregarding health and safety'.
University officials say they have reason to believe that new pledges were blindfolded and taken into a basement where they were encouraged to down an entire bottle of alcohol each.
Bowling Green State University has charged Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity with violating six code of conduct rules after sophomore Stone Foltz died following a hazing ritual
The fraternity house of Pi Kappa Alpha's Delta Beta chapter is pictured. The fraternity could now be completely removed from the university
Bowling Green State University is pictured. School officials have placed the fraternity on suspension and its Greek letters have been removed from its on-campus residence
The case is set be adjudicated within the university by April 13, and could lead to the suspension and expulsion of certain students or the complete removal of the fraternity.
Bowling Green State has currently placed the fraternity on suspension and its Greek letters have been removed from its on-campus residence.
'Hazing is absolutely intolerable. BGSU continues to work with local law enforcement, who are actively leading their own investigation into this serious situation,' university officials said in a statement.
'While these University charges don't bring back student Stone Foltz, our goal is to hold those accountable who are responsible for this tragedy. Today's charges are another step in the ongoing investigation concerning the fraternity... The conduct processes involving individual students also remains ongoing.'
Last month an anonymous student told local news network WTOL about the initiation pledge that new fraternity members are allegedly forced to undergo.
'We have to drink a handle of any alcohol that our big gives us. We have to finish the whole thing in the time we're there before we leave,' the stated.
A handle of alcohol contains about 40 shots of liquor.
'I've never seen my roommate more drunk in his entire life. He immediately went to the bathroom and was throwing up in the toilet for just 15 minutes to an hour and making himself vomit,' the student continued.
Foltz's distraught parents Cory and Shari are calling for individual members to be charged over their son's death
'I can't describe the pain - there's a piece of my heart that's gone. It's just unimaginable, I can't even explain to you': Shari is pictured with Stone at his high school graduation
The proud parents want to make sure the fraternity is hold accountable for Stone's death
Meanwhile, Foltz's distraught parents are calling for individual members to be charged for their son's death.
'There needs to be harsher punishments,' Shari Foltz told GMA last week.
'You get a slap on the hand for basically doing these things and killing someone. If it's a felony, don't you think they're going to think twice before doing something like this?'
Speaking of her son's death, she declared: 'I can't describe the pain - there's a piece of my heart that's gone. It's just unimaginable, I can't even explain to you.'
The parents of Stone Foltz allowed his organs to be donated following his death
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