Parents of LSU student who died after hazing incident awarded $6.1 million

Parents of LSU student who died after hazing incident awarded $6.1 million

The parents of an LSU student who died of alcohol poisoning following a 2017 fraternity hazing ritual were awarded $6.1 million by a Baton Rouge jury Wednesday, according to a report by NOLA.com.

In 2017, Max Gruver, 18, was subjected to a Phi Delta Theta pledging ritual known as “Bible Study” in which members grilled pledges on the fraternity’s history with incorrect answers resulting in being forced to drink high-volume grain alcohol.

Gruver died of alcohol poisoning with a blood alcohol level of 0.495 — more than six times the legal limit.

His parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against LSU, Phi Delta Theta and individual fraternity members.

The Gruvers settled with LSU for $875,000. Settlements with all other defendants were reached prior to the start of the civil trial, so it’s unclear how much the Gruvers will receive.

Matthew Naquin was found guilty in 2019 of negligent homicide.

Naquin was sentenced to five years in prison, with half that sentence suspended. He was also ordered to speak at high schools about the dangers of hazing.

Phi Delta Theta has been banned from the LSU campus until at least 2033.