37 Pi Delta Psi fraternity members of New York City’s Baruch College have recently been charged in the hazing death of freshman Chun “Michael” Deng, 19, which occurred back in 2013.
Deng, who was pledging Pi Delta Psi, was taken on a ritual trip to the Poconos in Pennsylvania, where he was blindfolded, forced to wear a backpack containing 30 pounds of sand and led across a snowy field while being repeatedly attacked and tackled by fraternity members. Deng was knocked unconscious and suffered numerous blunt force trauma injuries to his head, torso and thighs.
Instead of getting him immediate help, fraternity members contacted their national president, who told them to hide all signs of fraternity involvement. The members researched injuries online before eventually driving him to the hospital. According to police, a minimum of two hours went by before Deng received any medical treatment. The medical examiner concluded that this delay in treatment “significantly contributed” to Deng’s death.
Deng’s parents said in a statement that they “applaud the actions by the police, grand jury and Monroe County District Attorneys to bring criminal charges against the Pi Delta Psi Fraternity and its members for the tragic, entirely preventable hazing death of Michael.”
Said personal injury lawyer Neal Goldstein about the case, “Michael Deng appeared to be a very promising student and this tragic and totally avoidable death is a horrible part of fraternity life that needs to be fully addressed by college campuses across the country. Everyone involved in this tragedy needs to be held accountable.”
Read more about hazing and how to tell if your child is a victim: What You Need to Know About Hazing
If you have questions about a possible hazing incident that affected your family, please give us a call to learn more about your legal options. Our attorneys will answer all your questions, and if you have a case and want to pursue legal action, we will sit down with you for a free consultation to further discuss your case and best course of action for you and your family.
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