The frat pledge death that happened to a Clemson University student over a year ago still remains a mystery, but a new witness has revealed details which could shed light to the tragedy and who is responsible, according to new court documents.
The frat pledge death which happened to Clemson University student, Tucker Hipps, took place last September. The 19-year-old was forced to walk a narrow bridge railing during a fraternity hazing, according to his family in the new documents.
An autopsy revealed that Hipps died when he plunged into Lake Hartwell in South Carolina and smashed into rocks in the shallow water. The recent filings are reportedly part of a
The recently filings are part of a double $25 million lawsuit filed by the Clemson University student's parents.
According to The Inquisitr, Tucker's parents said at the time they filed the lawsuit that they hope "change will happen and that no other parent will feel the pain they have been forced to endure. Tucker lost his life, but we must not let it be vain."
The criminal investigation into the frat pledge death has been at a standstill for months. Officials have tried to determine over and over again what happened during the early hours of September 22, but to no avail.
With the new witness, the mystery of how the frat pledge death incident occurred and why Tucker Hipps died will finally be solved, according to CNN.
"It does answer some questions," said Hipps' mother. "[It] connects some of the dots. There's still some dots missing. ... We want the whole truth."
Since the beginning, the teen's parents believe that the university, the fraternity and three of its members played a part in their son's frat pledge death, which all three tried to cover up after the fact. The parents sued the suspects in a South Carolina state court and the new allegation is reportedly part of an amendment request with the new details for their lawsuit.
Hours after the frat pledge death, Hipps' body was found floating in the lake in Hartwell. According to the suit, those responsible did not report Tucker missing for seven hours.
Hipps initially joined the fraternity's brothers and pledges for a hazing ritual last year September. It involved a predawn run which had already been banned by the national Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and Clemson's hazing policy.
The suit claims that it was the fraternity's tradition to require and force its pledges to jump off one of the bridges in Lake Hartwell, then swim to shore. Hipps' parents says their son was told to bring a McDonald's breakfast for 30 people for the run, but when he showed up without the order, an argument ensued.
Hipps was forced by the frat members to walk the narrow railing, after which the frat pledge death occurred.
"Tucker slipped from the railing and caught the railing under his arms .... tried to climb back onto the bridge unassisted ... lost his grip on the bridge and fell headfirst into the water below, striking his head on the rocks in the shallow water," said the unnamed witness.
After Tucker fell, "King shined the flashlight on his cell phone into the dark waters below looking for Tucker," the witness continued.
The suit also said that nobody dared rescue Hipps, and everyone just waited at least three hours before they went and looked for him. The frat members also did not get help from the campus police for seven hours. In addition, the lawsuit says the frat brothers lied to Hipps' girlfriend and told her Hipps was at the library when she asked where he was.
According to Hipps' parents, the members tried to hide their part in the frat pledge death by deleting their text messages and phone records.
The names of three members were revealed in the new allegations. They include the son of U.S. Rep. John Carney, a student named Thomas Carter King and another one named Campbell T. Starr, reported The New York Daily News.
The defendants reportedly denied the allegations and none of them has responded to the proposed amended lawsuit into the frat pledge death.