21st birthday: NMSU Delta Chi drinks self to near-death
 

November 19, 2004

NMSU Student In Coma After Birthday Drinking

The Associated Press
___LAS CRUCES_ — _ A New Mexico State University fraternity member was in a coma Friday after his 21st birthday celebration led to alcohol poisoning.
___ Steven Judd of El Paso, Texas, a junior criminal justice major, marked his birthday with other Delta Chi fraternity members early Thursday at two Las Cruces bars, said police Lt. Randy Lara.
___ Judd and his friends returned to the fraternity house after 2 a.m. Fraternity members called police and emergency medical workers about 8:30 a.m. after finding Judd unconscious and not breathing.
___ He was taken to a Las Cruces hospital, then airlifted to Thomason Hospital in El Paso, where he was listed in critical condition.
___ The young man had massive hemorrhaging in his brain and was in a coma, said family friend Wirt Atmar, Judd's boss at an engineering firm where Judd works on computer software.
___ Judd told his father he planned to go drinking with fraternity friends as soon as Thursday _ — _ his birthday _ — _ arrived, Atmar said.
___ Lara said police have no evidence of foul play or hazing.
___ "It's a case of someone celebrating too much and drinking too much and not taking care of himself," Lara said.
___ The fraternity's faculty adviser, marketing professor Pat Gavin, said he knew nothing about the incident.
___ Alcohol was a factor in the deaths of at least four university students in Colorado, Oklahoma and Arkansas this fall. Three of the deaths were officially ruled alcohol poisoning.
___ Authorities say most of the estimated 1,400 alcohol-related deaths each year among college students come in automobile accidents.
___ NMSU has begun an investigation and has informed the national Delta Chi organization of the incident, university spokeswoman Maureen Howard said.
___ "They're taking this very seriously," Atmar said.
___ However, he said he holds the university partially responsible because it has become more permissive of alcohol. He cited NMSU's recent acquisition of a liquor license for a restaurant in the Stan Fulton Athletics Center.
___ "It directly sends a signal to students," Atmar said.

This always scares me. Our first two made it through their 21 birthdays, and our son has his in January.

Hope he's keeps his head on straight.

Interesting that the victim's boss, who has nothing to do with the university or the fraternity apprantely holds the university partly responsible. Who the heck does he think he is?

For those of you who aren't yet 21 -- please be safe.

Echoing DeltAlums thoughts, please be careful on becoming of Legal age to imbibe in the evil demon rum.

It is amazing again that there may have been a Brain Hemmorage with nothing to do with Alcohol poisoning.

It is amazing once again, HAHA, that it is tied into a Fraternity or Greek Organization!:(

My son is only 8 and I worry about this already. He was born on St. Patrick's Day.

a very sad story....
reminds me that we need to look out for each other.

Notice how the first thing mentioned about this young man - in the lead paragraph, even before his name is given - is that he's in a fraternity? And nothing is said about other activities he might have been involved in. The implication is that fraternities = booze. People tend to overindulge on their 21st birthdays - he might have gotten just as drunk and ended up in a coma whether he'd joined a fraternity or not.

I pray this young man pulls through and wakes up. :(

Massive brain hemorhage is not a normal symptom of alcohol poisoining. That sounds like an aneurism.

Notice how his blood alcohol level is missing also? They usually glory in putting that out there if its high enough.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Everyone I remember being taken to the hospital in undergrad for alcohol poisoning was NOT in a GLO, but the stereotypes still continue..........

While your point is correct, the fact is that our reputation, for the most part self inflicted, is for drinking and partying.

And, the young man was drinking with other members of the fraternity.

I was also thinking along the lines of James' post above. This sounds more severe than any case of alcohol poisoning I've ever heard of. Then again, I have little real medical knowledge along these lines.

My boyfriend was born on St. Patrick's Day (sure made naming him easy) , and he is vehemently anti-alcohol. He had a diet coke on his 21st...fear not, I'm sure he'll be fine, you've got plenty of time to teach him to respect alcohol.

I was out of the country on my 21st. Since I could drink all the time there anyway (don't really remember getting carded), my 21st wasn't that big of an issue to myself or my friends. I think I might have had wine with dinner--and that was pretty much it. Several of my roommates turned 21 that year, too--no one got "drunk" in the same way that our Stateside counterparts did.

Perhaps my decision not to drink myself into a box came from my upbringing. I wasn't taught that alcohol was BAD, but that it was okay in moderation. I had plenty of cautionary tales growing up about how bad it was not to be moderate in my drinking choices--enough alcoholics in the extended family will do that!

So, if you're very concerned about your child overindulging, encourage moderation, and get that kid out of the US before they turn 21! ;)

He died
 

___
___University student dies
___from alcohol poisoning
___
___LAS CRUCES - A junior at New Mexico State University died Friday after his 21st birthday celebration led to alcohol poisoning, according to the university.
___Steven Judd of El Paso, Texas, marked his birthday with other Delta Chi fraternity members late Wednesday night and early Thursday at two Las Cruces bars, police Lt. Randy Lara said.
___Fraternity members called for help about 8:30 a.m. Thursday after finding Judd unconscious and not breathing. He died Friday.
___Lara said police have no evidence of foul play or hazing.
___"It's a case of someone celebrating too much and drinking too much and not taking care of himself," Lara said.
___NMSU has begun an investigation and has informed the national Delta Chi fraternal organization of the incident, university spokeswoman Maureen Howard said.
___At least five students at schools in Colorado and Arkansas have died this fall after consuming large amounts of alcohol.

what a waste of a young life!

:(

Steve
 

Just to let you all know that I know Steve personally. I was there when he went out on thursday morning. It makes me so glad to know that other people are getting upset at the whole medias explanation of the events.

We had a counseling session last night and I feel that it helped everyone involved tremendously. Steve was such a bright induvidual and it makes me so upset about the medias portrayal of the events.

Please pray for the Delta Chis and for his family.

Thank you,
Suzi