Tragedy in IIT Fraternity House

[momoftwo]

This appeared in today's Chicago Tribune. As a mother of a college freshman, this kind of news is always unsettling. The cause of death is unknown at this point.

IIT student dies after gathering at frat house
Freshman found unconscious

By Angela Rozas
Tribune staff reporter
Published October 6, 2003

An Illinois Institute of Technology freshman who played on the school's soccer team died early Sunday after attending a gathering at a fraternity house, where she was found unconscious.

Amy Wiese, 18, of West Bloomfield, Mich., was with a group of students at the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity house in the 3300 block of South Wabash Avenue Saturday night when she complained of nausea and went to lie down, said Phil Rozen, a university spokesman.

About 2:18 a.m., a fraternity member found her unconscious in the house and called police, Rozen and police said.

She was taken to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 3:46 a.m., said a spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner.

Police said they did not know what caused Wiese's death. An autopsy was scheduled for Monday.

David Baker, the university's vice president for external affairs, said school officials did not know if students were drinking at the fraternity house.

"I don't want to speculate at this point while there is an investigation going on," Baker said. "Right now, we're focused on getting grief counseling to the students and helping them get through this."

Rozen said he had been told the fraternity did not throw a party, but that Wiese and a group of students gathered in a fraternity member's room. He said he didn't know how many students were in the room.

"At this time our thoughts and prayers go out to the Wiese family," he said.

Wiese was a freshman studying chemical engineering. She lived in McCormick Student Village, a residence hall across the street from the fraternity house, Rozen said.

Her parents were notified early Sunday morning and drove to the university, he said.

Wiese played four years of varsity soccer in high school and was a forward on the university's soccer team.

Lee Hitchen, her coach, described her as a young player whose wit and talent made her a team leader.

"She was a very bright, a very happy individual," said Hitchen, who is also the athletic director of the university. "She was the kind of girl people liked to be around. She was very well liked."

Grief counselors met Sunday with students at Wiese's residence hall and at the fraternity house, where campus police stood guard most of the morning.

Young men who left the fraternity house said they did not want to talk.

"We are fully cooperating with police and we have no comment," said one student, who identified himself as a fraternity member but would not give his name.

Other students who said they didn't know Wiese were saddened to learn of her death.

"It's a really big shock. This school is going to be reeling from that," said Sabine Kollwitz, a freshman from St. Petersburg, Fla. "This is not a party school."

[ZTAngel]

I really hope nothing was put in her drink. What a horrible way to die....

[moe.ron]

Student dies after fraternity party
October 6, 2003 — Chicago police say an 18-year-old student from Michigan died after a night of drinking at a fraternity house.
Amy Wiese of West Bloomfield, Michigan, was a freshman at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. She was pronounced dead yesterday after her friends found her unresponsive and called 911.

Chicago Police Lieutenant Ricky Edwards says students told investigators that Wiese had "five to eight" mixed drinks at the party.

The Cook County medical examiner's office says an autopsy is scheduled.

Wiese was studying chemical engineering and played on IIT's soccer team.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


Last Updated: Oct 6, 2003

[opicdou]

The autopsy came back inconclusive. Apparently the medical examiner did not find enough alcohol in her system to label it an alcohol related death. Toxicology tests are being conducted, but results take 6-8 weeks.

[mmcat]

how sad...
i don't have words other than my prayers and good thoughts are with those involved

[Nhfulmer]

This is the latest on this incident. Of course, it is tragic that the young woman died but at least it cannot be blamed on the fraternity.

______________________

Presidents,

This afternoon we received a phone call from Amy's parents regarding the
autopsy results. Amy died from natural causes due to a virus in her body
that settled into her heart and caused significant damage and eventually led
to heart failure.

There was no evidence of drugs in her system and alcohol was not a factor in
her death.

There may be more specific information that may be out later in the week or
in the media, but this is the information as we have it right now.

-Kevin
IIT Greek Advisor

[momoftwo]

Thanks for the update...while the original story was all over the news here, I haven't noticed this update in the press.

[KayPhiDee]

Hey guys,

This part of the forum has been inactive lately, but I just wanted to talk about Amy.

I am currently the vice president of Kappa Phi Delta Sorority (100 year old local). This incident occured my freshman year at IIT.

Although we had only just gotten to school 2 months previous, I had gotten to know Amy farely well. She was really sweet and always looking after everyone. That day, I talked to Amy in the bathroom of our residence hall. She was feeling kinda sick and had been taking a nap. Later that night, we both headed over to visit our boyfriends at the Pi Kapps. Amy was dating one of their freshman at the time, and mid-way through the evening, she went into his room to lie down. I went back to my dorm room later that night, but was awakened by the sirens outside my window. My friend woke me up and told me what was going on. Amy had stopped breathing.

Although this death was not alcohol related, the fraternity was threatened to be closed down. Media assumed it was because of a night of binge drinking and rumors spread fast.

Today, this incident is rarely acknowledged by the school. When the one year anniversary of her passing came up, only a few of her friends bothered to light a candle.

Greek life on our campus is small, informal, but extremely close-knit. This was something that affected us all deeply, and reprecussions are still being felt today.

Just wanted to set things straight.


Liz

[Tom Earp]

KayPhiDee, thank you for keeping us informed of the situation.

Some thing seems to be remiss on the Tox Reports.

It was a problem that maybe no one had knowledge about and did what at the time they thought was best.