The Paper Trail

Police Investigate Cal Poly Student's Death as Hazing Incident

December 12, 2008 RSS Feed Print

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Police confirmed they are investigating the December 2 death of a Cal Poly freshman as an alcohol-related hazing incident, the San Luis Obispo, Calif., Tribune , reports. The probe focuses on Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and police on December 5 searched an off-campus residence where fraternity members live.

The search warrant sought information about two male students, as well as all alcoholic beverages, receipts for alcohol, computers, keyboards, cellphones, and other electrical data and storage equipment. It also sought all fraternity doctrines, pledge books, and "related material including new member and initiation processes and/or social activities and video or photographic evidence of such events." Members of the fraternity declined to comment for the Tribune's story.

Carson Starkey, 18, was found unresponsive at about 6:30 a.m. on December 2 and was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Starkey had been a pledge at the fraternity.

Tags:: hazing,; colleges,; California,; police

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It is so sad when an event like this happens and gives such a horrible image to the fraternity system. SAE has a history of this kind of activity in the last few years, and has been on probation twice in the last 18 months or so. Unfortunately, it was almost inevitable. But don't let a few irresponsible people from one organization taint your view of every social fraternity...

SLO Frat Boy of CA 1:23PM December 19, 2008

he and a bunch of other pleges were put in the garage with a bunch of alcohol, tequila, vodka, wine, grain alcohol and were told they had to drink it all. a large tub was also there for them to throw up in.
they drank all of the alcohol. i'm talking bottles and bottles.
someone found him unresponsive later and they drove him to the hospital. he woke up on the ride there for a little bit so they turned around and took him back hoping he would sleep it off. obviously he didn't
everyone in that frat is "lawyering up now"

slo boy of CA 5:18AM December 15, 2008