Roswell Family Sues LSU Over Son's Alleged Hazing Death: Report

ATLANTA, GA — The family of a Roswell college student who died last year in a suspected hazing incident filed a $25 million lawsuit Thursday against Louisiana State University, according to a media report. The suit also targets the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and several fraternity members, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

In September 2017, Maxwell Gruver, an 18-year-old LSU freshman, died of alcohol poisoning in a suspected hazing incident at the fraternity's house on the Baton Rouge campus. At the time of his death, he had an alcohol level more than six times the legal limit for drivers, according to the AJC.

In March, a Louisiana grand jury indicted four members of the fraternity on charges stemming from Gruver's death. All four have pleaded not guilty, the AJC reported.

Steve Gruver, Maxwell’s father, said the family filed the lawsuit to prevent future hazing incidents.

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An LSU spokesman told the AJC that the university "has worked to develop and implement new policies and practices to better protect all of our students," and to discourage hazing in LSU's fraternities and sororities.

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