LSU student Madison Brooks raped, hit by car and killed, police say; 4 arrested
Police have arrested four people who were allegedly involved with raping a Louisiana State University student and then leaving her, leading her to be hit and killed by a car in Baton Rouge, La.
WAFB reports two males were charged with third-degree rape of LSU student Madison Brooks, who died early Jan. 15, 2023, after being hit by a vehicle. Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, of Walker, La., and an unidentified 17-year-old minor are accused of having sex with Brooks in the backseat of a car while she was “incapable of resisting or of understanding the nature of the act by reason of a stupor or abnormal condition of mind produced by an intoxicating agent or any cause and the offender knew or should have known of the victim’s incapacity,” according to Louisiana law.
Two other males were charged with principle to rape, or being present without taking part in the alleged crime. East Baton Rouge police say Everette Lee, 28, of Pine Grove, and Casen Carver, 18, of Denham Springs, were allegedly in the front seat of the car when Washington and the minor sexually assaulted Brooks.
Police say Brooks, 19, was leaving a bar near the LSU campus around 1 a.m. on Jan. 15 when she entered the vehicle of the four suspects, according to WDSU. Toxicology reports showed her blood alcohol content (BAC) level was .319 percent, nearly four times the legal limit; tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was also found in her system.
WAFB reports Carver told investigators that Washington and the minor asked Brooks to have sex with them and she agreed, but he believed Brooks was too drunk to know that she was consenting to sex.
After the incident, the four suspects allegedly dropped her off at a random location. She was hit by a vehicle near the scene around 3 a.m. on Burbank Drive near Pelican Lakes Parkway and later died at an area hospital.
An attorney for two of the suspects told WAFB that video taken from inside the car showed Brooks was in a coherent state and blamed the bar that was serving alcohol to underage patrons. The video will be turned over to investigators and the district attorney’s office, attorney Ron Haley said.
LSU President William F. Tate IV addressed the arrests of the four suspects and the death of Brooks in a statement Monday.
“Madison was a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, a niece, a classmate, and a friend to many of you. By all accounts, she was an amazing young woman with limitless potential. She should not have been taken from us in this way. What happened to her was evil, and our legal system will parcel out justice,” Tate said. “Our collective grief and outrage cannot be put into mere words. So what can we do? It is time for action. One place to target our attention is the very place where this encounter began.
“All but one of the suspects involved in this horrific scenario were underage yet were able to consume alcohol at a local bar. As such, our action plan starts with a deep and relentless focus on any establishment that profits off our students by providing alcohol to underage individuals. In the coming days, we will call a meeting with these business owners to discuss how their responsibilities directly impact the safety of our students. We will work openly against any business that doesn’t join us in efforts toward creating a safer environment for our students. Enough is enough.”
“Real and long-lasting solutions require multiple strategies, so we will not stop there. That is why I am asking our entire Baton Rouge community, from business leaders to citizens, to work together and join us in this effort. We will share additional action items in the coming days, but for now please join me in keeping Madison’s family in our thoughts and prayers.”