Timeline Of Events Leading Up To Lafayette Student's Death Released

By Kara Seymour and Alex Newman:

EASTON, PA — Authorities provided an update Tuesday into the chain of events that led up to the death of a 19-year-old Lafayette College student from Massachusetts. McCrae Williams, a lacrosse recruit, died Sept. 11 after suffering blunt-force head injuries. According to authorities, the teen consumed alcohol in the hours before he died, and likely fell in the bathroom of his dorm.

At a press conference Tuesday, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said he does not believe there was hazing or criminal activity that led to the freshman's death. He said he is not viewing the situation as "a Penn State case." Charges have not been filed in connection with the case at this time.

After conducting about a dozen interviews with people who were with Williams from Friday, Sept. 8 to Monday, Sept. 11, Morganelli revealed this chain of events in the hours and days before the man's death.

Friday, Sept. 8

• 6-7 p.m.: Party begins at Ruef Hall. Attendees include several members of the boys/girls lacrosse teams.
• 8-10 p.m.: Williams is drinking in his room with several freshmen lacrosse players. No reports of altercations or accidents.
• Witnesses who encountered Williams that evening said he was under the influence of alcohol, but to what degree "we cannot determine," the DA said. Williams "seemed okay" and was "talkative."
• 11 p.m.: Several members of the lacrosse team go to a party on High Street. It is unclear if Williams attends.

Saturday, Sept. 9

• Williams was "fine" on Saturday, according to the DA. Investigators determined he received phone calls and text messages and conversed with a number of people.
• 12:17 p.m.: Williams receives a text from a friend, asking, "Are you drinking now?" Williams responds, "Just started, but all we have is watermelon vodka, and I hate watermelon."
• 1:30 p.m.: Williams walks to a "day drink" on Cattell Street. The party consists of 50-80 people, mostly members of the boys/girls lacrosse teams and their friends.
• No reports of liquor at the party, everyone appeared to be drinking beer out of plastic cups.
• Multiple witnesses said they saw Williams at the party and that he appeared to be "moderately intoxicated," but otherwise okay. No reports of altercations or accidents nor any evidence of hazing.
• No evidence suggests Williams' drinking was involuntary or that he was in any distress.
• 4 p.m.: Williams leaves the party.
• 4:37 p.m.: Williams and others head to the WaWa convenience store. Surveillance video shows him "unsure of his footing" and "stumbling." He and two males buy food.
• 4:45 p.m.: Williams walks toward Ruef Hall on campus.
• 5 p.m.: A female friend and Williams are alone in his room. At one point, she told investigators, he got up and went to the bathroom to throw up.
• 6 p.m.: Williams tells the woman he has to throw up again. He walks toward a door and the woman hears a "loud sound." She turns around to find Williams on the cement ground of his room. He is on the floor groaning, and she calls his friends, who come from another room nearby.
• The friends are not aware that Williams may have fallen, they told investigators. They place him on his side on the bed and attach a backpack to his back to prevent him from rolling over and asphyxiating on his vomit if he throws up again.
• None of the friends reported any signs of injury. The autopsy also indicated no obvious external injuries that would have been noticeable. Williams is responsive at this point.
• 6-8 p.m.: Friends check on Williams, who pulls the covers over himself and appears to want to sleep. They told police they believed Williams was still drunk and thought he should "sleep it off."
• 7:45 p.m.: Williams is on the ground, lying on a pillow underneath covers. He says something to his friend, but his friend cannot recall what it was.
• 11 p.m.-1 a.m.: Freshmen lacrosse players go out to another party. Williams remains asleep.

Sunday, Sept. 10

• 11-11:30 a.m.: Friends check on Williams. All told investigators that they woke him up and he said he wanted to go back to sleep.
• 1-1:30 p.m.: Friends buy food for Williams, thinking he should eat. They also get him water.
• 2-3 p.m.: Friends are watching football and periodically check on Williams. They again assume he is still sleeping off the previous day's drinking and does not want to get up. He continues to be responsive.
• 4 p.m.: Some individuals become concerned, because he is still sleeping and might need medical attention. They attempt to dress him and he becomes combative, making comments to the effect of "get off."
• He tries to push his friends away, but appears "weak."
• They get him downstairs and into a vehicle with the intention of driving him to a medical facility, his friends told investigators.
• The students contact their lacrosse coach, who tells them to call 911 immediately. The coach responds to the scene and arrives at approximately the same time as EMS, around 4:22 p.m. Williams is taken for medical attention.

Monday, Sept. 11

• Williams is pronounced dead at Lehigh Valley Hospital. An autopsy indicates the cause of death was blunt force head injuries.

Morganelli said there is a "likelihood" that Williams sustained a head injury when he fell on the concrete floor of his room, though there is no evidence any of the students knew about or understood the potential severity of such an injury.

An autopsy was completed last week but the manner of death was not determined, as the coroner is awaiting toxicology results.

Image via Noble & Greenough, used with permission