Three 18-year-old college students have died this year after taking part in fraternity or sorority hazing rituals, as advocates and grieving families warn that initiation practices are becoming more dangerous and harder for universities to control.
Freshman Anthony Joseph Blas, 18, died in Fullerton, California, after allegedly pledging to Delta Chi at Cal State Fullerton — a chapter the university had already banned over alcohol, drug and hazing violations. Blas had been accepted into the group on September 12 and was invited to celebrate at the fraternity house that night. He became unresponsive and was dropped off at St. Jude Medical Center by other students just after midnight, where he died.
The Fullerton Police Department attributed his death to suspected alcohol poisoning and said its investigation found no evidence of hazing or foul play. Blas’ family disputes that conclusion and is demanding a full investigation.
“Somebody needs to be held responsible for serving liquor,” his mother, Linda Blas, said.
His twin brother, Daniel, wrote on social media: “My life is revolved around him. Everything I do or place I stop by is a reminder of him. Anthony deserved better going to college.”
The national Delta Chi office said it has not recognized or authorized a chapter at Cal State Fullerton in five years. Blas’ family has criticized what it calls “fake, underground and unrecognized” fraternities operating outside university oversight.
A pattern of deaths
Blas is the third pledge to die this year. Colin Martinez, 18, died of alcohol poisoning on January 31 at an off-campus rush event for Delta Tau Delta near Flagstaff, Arizona, at Northern Arizona University. Martinez and three other pledges were allegedly brought to the party with pillowcases over their heads and ordered to share two bottles of vodka. He passed out, was put to bed, and was found dead when police arrived the next morning at 9 a.m. Carter Eslick, 20, who led the now-defunct chapter, pleaded guilty to felony hazing.
Savanna Jones, 18, died on April 30 in Wilberforce, Ohio, while allegedly taking part in an alcohol-hazing ritual to join the “Turtle Club” at Wilberforce University. She was allegedly required to drink an entire bottle of liquor while answering questions, became severely intoxicated, vomited and could not stand before being taken back to her dorm, where she later died. Her family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the university.
“Savanna Jones’ death was brought on through a senseless and illegal hazing ritual. Savanna’s young life did not need to end this way,” said the family’s attorney, Rex Elliott.
Hazing reported at campuses across the country
Hazing incidents reported nationally have climbed to at least 556 between July 2025 and August 2026, according to anti-hazing advocates. Recent cases include:
- Pledges at Sigma Tau Gamma at the University of Arizona in Tucson were allegedly forced to eat live goldfish, drink heavily and endure screaming and threats, leading to the chapter’s suspension.
- About 30 partially clothed pledges of Alpha Epsilon Pi were found smeared in condiments in a filthy basement near the University of Wisconsin in Madison on September 23, after police responded to an anonymous tip. Some had injuries consistent with physical assault. Fraternity president Brayden J. Klein and vice president Samuel N. Vane, both 20, were arrested on hazing and disorderly conduct charges.
- Delta Kappa Epsilon and Phi Gamma Delta chapters at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge were suspended after pledges were allegedly waterboarded, forced to chug chocolate milk until they vomited, and told to bring a squirrel to a meeting.
- At the University of Miami in Coral Gables, a video surfaced in March 2024 showing a student squeezed into a trash can while others spit milk on him.
- In August, 13 fraternity brothers at Penn State in University Park were charged in an alleged cocaine trafficking operation that reportedly forced pledges to cut and bag the drugs for sale to other students.
Calls for accountability
Jolayne Houtz, whose 19-year-old son Sam Martinez died after being hazed at Washington State University in 2019 while pledging Alpha Tau Omega, said unrecognized fraternities are the most dangerous because they escape institutional oversight.
“They’re operating with impunity and nobody is holding them to account,” Houtz said. “It is intolerable and we need to start treating it like a public health crisis to finally put a stop to it.”
Houtz launched HazingInfo, a free public database tracking hazing incidents, in her son’s memory. “Hazing is something that happens in the shadows and we need to bring it into the light of day to properly tackle it,” she said. “It is hard to spot in any organization but it’s worse in these unrecognized bodies. It is like Whac-A-Mole to find them and shut them down.”
Colleges are now required to track and publicly report hazing incidents under the federal Stop Campus Hazing Act, signed into law in December 2024. Since Tim Piazza died at Penn State in February 2017 — a case that prompted national fraternity reforms — at least 36 hazing-related deaths have been recorded.
Piazza’s mother, Evelyn Piazza, said the problem has intensified rather than eased. “Hazing has gotten worse since COVID and the degree of hazing has picked up again in terms of dangers and harm,” she said. “I honestly feel like parents still aren’t paying attention or having conversations with their kids to tell them do not let yourself be hazed, you are worth more than that, and do not do any hazing.”
A Cal State Fullerton spokesman said: “Our hearts remain with the family and friends of Anthony Blas. Cal State Fullerton is working closely with the Fullerton Police Department.” Northern Arizona University, Wilberforce University and Delta Chi did not respond to requests for comment.
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