NAU student was forced to drink entire handle of vodka with other pledges before death: court docs
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Court documents are revealing new details regarding the death of a Northern Arizona University student this weekend and the subsequent arrest of three fraternity board members.
What we know:
The records detail the moments leading up to the 18-year-old student's death and the alleged involvement of three 20-year-old Delta Tau Delta board members: Treasurer Riley Cass, New Member Educator Carter Eslick, and Vice President Ryan Creech.
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NAU student found dead after fraternity rush event, 3 arrested: police
An 18-year-old NAU student was found dead Saturday morning at an off-campus home in Flagstaff after attending a Delta Tau Delta "rush" party.
According to the documents, a rush party for the fraternity took place the night of Jan. 30 at a home off Lone Tree Road, about a mile from campus.
What they're saying:
Four students, including the victim, were reportedly chosen as pledges. The pledges told police they were instructed to bring supplies to spend the night, as well as a pillowcase. They stated that the pillowcases were placed over their heads while they were driven around before arriving at the party.
The pledges were then allegedly told to play a game where they were given a handle of vodka and required to finish it together. It remains unclear if the vodka was straight or mixed with water.
The victim was seen drinking more than a third of the bottle before he and others began vomiting. The group was then given a second handle of vodka, which the victim reportedly drank more of than the other students.
Cass told police he laid the victim on his side on an air mattress and stayed with him for several hours until he fell asleep. He discovered the victim unresponsive around 9 a.m. on Jan. 31 and police were called.
Dig deeper:
Throughout the night, witnesses reported hearing unusual snoring, breathing, and gagging sounds. The documents state that some attendees began Googling the symptoms of alcohol poisoning online and adjusted the victim’s sleeping position while checking his pulse.
Creech said he monitored the victim’s breathing throughout the morning. When he realized the student had stopped breathing, he called 911.
Eslick reportedly admitted to providing alcohol to the pledges as part of their initiation.
NAU released a statement over the weekend, saying in part, "This is a devastating loss, and our hearts are with his family, friends and all members of our community who are grieving…We want to be clear: The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priorities. Violence, hazing or any other behavior that endangers others has no place at NAU. The university has robust hazing prevention training and requirements, and has high standards for the conduct of all NAU-associated organizations and individual students."
What's next:
All three of the fraternity members arrested face charges of hazing, and were booked into the Coconino County Detention Facility.
Flagstaff Police said they will not release the victim’s name until an official cause of death is determined by the medical examiner.
The Source: This information was provided by court documents and Flagstaff Police.