Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Hazed to Death’ of A&E’s ‘Houses of Horror: Secrets of College Greek,’ the dark and unsettling truths about fraternity hazing rituals are revealed by exploring the tragic case of 19-year-old Tim Piazza, who fell victim to them in February 2017. When the news of his death reached his family, they were left distraught and in a state of grief. Thanks to the interviews with the victim’s loved ones, the episode focuses on the entire incident in a detailed manner while also touching upon the aftermath.
Tim Piazza Was Pronounced Dead in a Hospital in 2017
Jim and Evelyn Piazza welcomed a little bundle of joy on September 25, 1997, in the form of Timothy “Tim” Piazza. From an early age, he became passionate about football and several other sports, such as javelin, shot put, and discus. During his days at Hunterdon Central Regional High School, he was also a part of the spring track team. By participating in the Teen Prevention Education Program, he imparted knowledge to his juniors about peer pressure, bullying, and other prevalent issues that students tend to face. Moreover, he volunteered with the Hunterdon Outreach Program and taught special needs children numerous sports.
In his free time, he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, playing golf, jet skiing, playing basketball, and hanging out at the beach. In addition to his parents, Tim was quite close to his brother Mike Piazza, whom he looked up to. When Mike heard the news that his brother was going to join him at Penn State University, he was excited and looking forward to it. Pursuing engineering, Tim became a member of the executive board of AYUDA and THON’s Operations Committee by the time he was a sophomore at the university. After graduation, he wanted to create prosthetics for children. At the time, he was also dating Kaitlyn Tempalsky.
In the winter of 2016, Tim talked about his desire to join the renowned fraternity — Beta Theta Pi. Just a few months later, the Piazza family’s world turned upside down when they were hit with the news of the 19-year-old sophomore college student’s sudden and untimely demise. Reportedly, Tim died of several injuries, including a lacerated spleen, a collapsed lung, and a fractured skull, at the Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on February 4, 2017.
Tim Piazza Fell Down the Stairs of the Frat House’s Basement Post a Hazing Ritual
On February 2, 2017, the first night of pledging for the Beta Theta Pi, Tim Piazza was forced to consume alcohol from the moment he entered the fraternity house. After consuming multiple drinks in a short period of time, he became so heavily intoxicated that he lost control over his movements and fell down the stairs of the basement. The frat members picked him up and placed him on the couch but did not attend to his condition or the injuries he might have suffered. Constantly twitching on the couch, he kept trying to stand up but failed each time. When one of the chapter members, Kordel Davis, suggested helping the 19-year-old man and calling 911, he was roughed up and ignored.
Around 7 am in the morning, he managed to make it to the basement door, but the result was the same — he tripped and fell down the stairs again. Several hours later, the frat brothers found him lying on the floor of the basement, breathing rapidly. By then, Tim had gotten various bruises and injuries on his body due to the falls. They collectively decided that his condition was serious enough to inform the authorities. However, they focused on covering their own tracks first, cleaning up Tim’s body, and dressing him up. So, around 10:24 am on February 3, 2017, the police were informed about Tim’s condition. Initially, he was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center, where his injuries were deemed too critical.
The Piazza Family Took the Matter to Court
Tim was then immediately transported to Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where he was rushed into surgery. Upon examination of his body, the doctors discovered that Tim was in class IV hemorrhagic shock with a ruptured spleen. Following the tragic incident, by May 5, 2017, more than 18 fraternity brothers were charged in connection with the death of Tim. The result of the trial was hugely disappointing to the family of the victim as the judge dismissed all charges of involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment against the members of the fraternity.
However, in light of Tim’s demise, the university took certain actions. For instance, the Beta Theta Pi was permanently banned from returning to Penn State. On the other hand, three frat brothers received sentences of six to nine months in prison, which was further reduced to house arrest and probation. In memory of their beloved son, Tim’s parents established a foundation that continues to provide scholarships to athletes at the high school he went to and prosthetics for children.
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