BREAKING NEWS: Penn State student killed during hazing incident

A series on A&E will feature an episode focused on a hazing incident at Penn State that resulted in a student’s death.

Episode three of “Houses of Horror: Secrets of College Greek Life” will spotlight Tim Piazza, a 19-year-old freshman at Penn State who was pledging to the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.

The episode’s description states: “Freshman pledge Tim Piazza is forced to consume a lethal amount of alcohol during a Beta hazing ritual called ‘The Gauntlet.’ A fraternity insider urges his brothers to seek help, but they disregard him, choosing instead to protect the brotherhood.”

Video footage revealed that Piazza drank 18 alcoholic beverages in 90 minutes during the hazing, after which he fell down the stairs into the frat house basement.

He was discovered unconscious and placed on a couch, where he drifted in and out of consciousness for several hours. Despite his condition, no one called for medical assistance until over 11 hours later. He died two days later.

According to the Daily Mail, Piazza’s parents, James and Evelyn Piazza, will be featured in the episode.

Criminal charges were filed against 23 fraternity members, including the former president and vice president, all of whom pleaded guilty to hazing and reckless endangerment.

The former house manager was also charged with hindering apprehension, evidence tampering, and obstruction but was acquitted of the latter two charges.

In 2019, the Piazza family filed a civil lawsuit against several fraternity members, and the case, delayed for five years, has recently moved forward after the guilty plea of the remaining defendants in the criminal case.