Tragic Hazing Incident at University of Missouri
A harrowing fraternity hazing incident at the University of Missouri has left a 19-year-old student, Daniel “Danny” Santulli, with severe brain damage, rendering him unable to see, walk, or speak. The incident, which occurred in the fall of 2021, is now under the spotlight as the subject of the first episode of A&E’s newly released true-crime docuseries, “Houses of Horror: Secrets of College Greek Life.”
A&E docuseries sheds light on hazing culture
The episode titled “Bingeing to Belong” reveals the disturbing events that led to Santulli’s condition. According to the docuseries, the freshman was forced to drink a bottle of vodka taped to his hand while pledging Phi Gamma Delta. His lawyer has described Santulli’s ordeal as “the worst fraternity hazing incident ever in the United States.”
In a separate incident earlier this year, student Riley Strain was found dead in a river in Nashville, Tennessee, two weeks after being expelled from a bar during a fraternity trip. An autopsy confirmed that the 22-year-old’s cause of death was drowning while intoxicated.
Inside the episode
The docuseries aims to expose the dangerous underbelly of fraternity and sorority life at America’s top universities. It features interviews with former fraternity and sorority members, their loved ones, local law enforcement, and other experts to paint a comprehensive picture of Greek campus culture.
Danny’s family has been vocal about the life-altering consequences of peer pressure following their son’s incident. “Prior to the incident, he was very sleep-deprived,” Mary Pat Santulli, Danny’s mother, told Fox News Digital. “[The fraternity was] draining his account… He was very drained.”
The night of the incident
On the night of the incident, Santulli was forced to drink hard liquor before beer as part of a ritual called “pledge dad reveal night.” Shy of 11 p.m., he was seen on security footage losing his balance and eventually falling. Fraternity members carried him to a nearby sofa, but his head hit a tile floor at one point.
At 12:30 a.m., he fell off the sofa again. It wasn’t until 15 minutes later that fraternity members discovered his condition and took him outside, only to drop him once more. Eventually, they drove him to the hospital, where he was found in cardiac arrest with a blood alcohol content of 0.486%—six times the legal limit.
Santulli spent six weeks in the University of Missouri Hospital’s intensive care unit before being transferred to a rehab hospital in Colorado. Doctors say he will need lifelong care.
“Danny needs care 24/7,” his father explained. “We are the main caregivers, my wife and I. We also have nurses come in. We have different folks who focus on speech, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. But from the accident in 2021 to now, he has improved. I’m not saying it’s significant, but he is making strides.”
Legal actions
Attorney David Bianchi, representing the Santulli family, argues that this was not an isolated event but part of a pattern of unsafe and dangerous behavior within the fraternity. Since 2017, Phi Gamma Delta has had six documented violations of alcohol distribution policies and two hazing violations in Missouri. Following Santulli’s hospitalization, the Missouri chapter has been shut down.
The family has filed a civil lawsuit against the fraternity and 23 members, which was settled for an undisclosed amount in 2022. Several fraternity members have pleaded guilty to their involvement, with varying sentences including jail time and probation.
The university has disciplined 13 former fraternity members, as reported by the Columbia Daily Tribune. The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the culture of hazing and the need for stricter regulations to prevent such tragedies in the future.
For more information, tune into A&E’s “Houses of Horror: Secrets of College Greek Life” and join the conversation about the real dangers of fraternity hazing.
This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers lurking within the seemingly glamorous world of college Greek life. Danny Santulli’s story is a call to action for universities, parents, and students to take a stand against hazing and prioritize safety and well-being above all else.
