There are plenty of cheap colleges in the US here are the most affordable public and private ones. The police have notified the family of the incident and are waiting for the results of the autopsy before handing over their evidence to the prosecutor. The attorney for the Gilfedder family, Denise Reid Hoggard of Little Rock and Tony L. Wilcox and Chris A. Averitt of Jonesboro, allege that Lyon College and Huffman knew the baseball team was engaged in hazing new players like Gilfedder and had a right to protect those college students. inside his dorm room on Saturday. Lyon College has not responded for comment yet. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Gilfedder said his son had nearly 60 offers to go play baseball in college, but he fell in love with Arkansas and Lyon College. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Batesville Police Chief Alan Cockrill told KATV that Gilfedder went to a party with the schools baseball team prior to his death. The California kid was dubbed Big Country by all his friends for wearing a cowboy hat and driving a large truck. Here are 67 side hustles perfect for hard-working college students with tight student budgets! A student at Lyon College in Arkansas, 19-year-old James Gilfedder, was found dead inside his dorm room on Saturday. He and his wife Gosia, recently of Union City, Ind., have owned 20 acres in Alaska for many years. Free Phone Consultation Click below for more info from White River Now. And the witnesses that havent spoke up, I suggest you speak because I dont want to see you guys in prison, Gilfedder said. According to the documents, the hazing included, but was not limited to, causing the student to drink "massive amounts of alcohol in a short period of time." Somebody did something. Model Christy Giles Is Dead And Family Suspects Foul Play, A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner confirmed to. James Gilfedder, 19, of California was found unresponsive on Saturday around 12:38 p.m. according to Cockrill's statement. The Gilfedder family is also asking Lyon, Huffman and Huffmania Ventures to respond to the lawsuit within 30 days. In These 19 States, Yes, 67 Top Side Hustles for College Students to Make Fast Cash, These Are the Cheapest Colleges in the US. Get up-to-date local and regional news along with the latest sports and weather every weekday morning and afternoon from theFirst Community BankNewsroom onArkansas 103.3. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. He only drank a fifth of vodka that would not kill my son, Nikki said. He wanted to be a doctor or (a) professional baseball player, Nikki said. Print Headline: Family sues in student's death. Students claim they left Gilfedder passed out on the floor of his Lyon College dorm room around 2 a.m. Jan. 30, 2021. All rights reserved. Hank Nuwer Unofficial Hazing Clearinghouse, U.S. Hazing Deaths Database Part 1: 1838-1999, Hank Nuwer Author Page; Hazing Deaths Database. 10 min away.. Yes, I think it was an initiation that went out of control, James said. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. The documents allege the college and the coach were aware of the hazing of new teammates, including Gilfedder. Email White River Now atnews@whiterivernow.com. The suit does not cite a specific monetary figure. Spice up your get-togethers with these top 27 fresh college party themes full of dancing, fun activities, and stunning photos for Instagram. Gilfedder (pictured below) was a freshman baseball player at Lyon College. Gilfedder's parents told Arkansas media that their son's body was battered, and he consumed a fifth of alcohol at a team "hazing party." Police are waiting for autopsy results before commenting. The Gilfedders were especially saddened to learn the circumstances surrounding their son's death. Somebody killed him. Hot Springs police respond to shots fired, one injured, A look at what bills could become laws in Arkansas next week, Your Arkansas weather forecast from THV11, School bus crash causes traffic delays on I-630, Two arrested in connection to Lonoke County homicide, Man killed after shooting incident on Arkansas Highway 367, police say, Little Rock residents say 911 dispatch is too slow at answering emergency calls. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Print Headline: Family sues in student's death, Copyright 2023, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. Media said the house where he parties was owned by an assistant coach. Due to an ongoing police investigation, an autopsy and pending toxicology report, there is not yet an official cause of death. Somebody did something. Somebody killed him, Nikki Gilfedder, James mother, said. The lawsuit requests compensation for the loss of life, conscious pain and suffering of the deceased prior to death, funeral expenses, and the mental anguish and pecuniary damage of the surviving estate and to recover damages and judgment against the defendants. These men did something to subdue and keep my daughter in their apartment for 10 to 12 hours, Dusty Giles said. Copyright 2021 TFNL Group. According to the family, Giles lifeless body was dropped at a Southern California Hospital nearly 12 hours later by men seen in a video concealing their identities and driving a vehicle with no license plate. Lyon College declined to comment Friday, citing pending litigation. While still waiting for the autopsy results, Gilfedders family suspects his death is the result of a hazing event gone wrong. Lyon College, coach accused of negligence in 21 incident, The Lyon Building on the Lyon College campus in Batesville is shown in this December 2005 file photo. Just after 12:30 pm Saturday afternoon, he was found unresponsive in his dorm room and later pronounced dead. At the party, various underage baseball and softball players were present and drinking alcohol, and Gilfedder was supplied with alcohol and quickly became visibly intoxicated, which the coach witnessed, the filing alleges. Email White River Now atnews@whiterivernow.com. The bruised body of James Gilfedder is undergoing an autopsy at this time while his teammates continue to play. The family of a Lyon College freshman who died in January 2021 after what was believed to be a hazing incident involving large consumption of alcohol filed a negligence and wrongful death suit in . We were hoping because it was a dry county, no alcohol, that things were going to be good, Nikki said. Lyon College, coach accused of negligence in 21 incident, The Lyon Building on the Lyon College campus in Batesville is shown in this December 2005 file photo. According to the documents, the hazing included, but was not limited to, causing the student to drink "massive amounts of alcohol in a short period of time." James Gilfedder, 19, of Lyon College in Arkansas was found dead in his dorm room from alcohol intoxication. When reached for comment, Lyon College officials referred to its statement from January 2021 from then-President W. Joseph King about the situation. The reality star, 42, cracked up as she joined departing . (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staton Breidenthal). The move is a sort-of coming home for us, said Nuwer. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner confirmed to People that the case is . A web design company. I feel like I participated in his murder because I brought him here, James said. Officers and emergency medical services arrived on scene and pronounced 19-year-old James Gilfedder of California dead at the scene, according to Cockrill. Please read our Terms of Use or contact us. The person Gilfedder went to the party with said he fell asleep in the car on the way home from the party, court documents state. Lyon College Student Found Dead, Family Suspects Foul Play, A student at Lyon College in Arkansas, 19-year-old. According to Cilliers, Cabrales-Arzola toxicology reports revealed that she had heroin in her system but he told KABC that was nothing that either of those girls would ever do, not voluntarily.. The college said it provided counseling to students after the death and would work to help people impacted by the death. Somebody hurt him. Its destroyed our whole family. Investigators noted that the social gathering took place at a residence on Boles Street owned by Huffmania Ventures, LLC which was co-owned by one of the baseball coaches. At the time of Gilfedder's death, the president of the. The documents do not specify a quantity or a time frame of the incident in question. "He only drank a fifth of vodka; that would not kill my son." They are doing the code of silence. I want my son back, Gilfedder said. (KAIT) - The family of a California teenager who died of alcohol poisoning while a student at Lyon College has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the college, according to court records. With no formal autopsy result to determine what happened, Nikki Gilfedder, the victims mother, is suggesting that something more sinister is at play because the information presented to them didnt all match up.. And dont forget to download the White River Now mobile app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. James said his son hoped to bring the town of Batesville a championship. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staton Breidenthal). After attending the party, where he consumed alcoholic beverages, he was found deceased, lying on the floor in his dorm room. Autopsy results released for Lyon baseball player. The family said that Rainwater Holt & Sexton to are set to represent them. For COVID-19 information from the Arkansas Department of Health,click here. All rights reserved. A student at Lyon College in Arkansas, 19-year-old James Gilfedder, was found dead inside his dorm room on Saturday. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. While local media outlets have suggested that police believe Giles may have died from a possible overdose, a spokesperson with the Los Angeles Police Department would not confirm that to Oxygen.com and said the investigation was ongoing. Gilfedder was a freshman at the. Journalist Hank Nuwer is the Alaska author of Hazing: Destroying Young Lives; Broken Pledges: The Deadly Rite of Hazing, High School Hazing, Wrongs of Passage and The Hazing Reader. The family of a Lyon College freshman who died in January 2021 after what was believed to be a hazing incident involving large consumption of alcohol filed a negligence and wrongful death suit in court Thursday. Batesville Police Chief Alan Cockrill said an autopsy showed Gilfedder died of severe alcohol intoxication and that the death was ruled as accidental. Students said they left Gilfedder passed out on the floor of his Lyon College dorm room around 2 a.m. Jan. 30, 2021. Lyon College declined to comment Friday, citing pending litigation. Students reportedly checked on him twice the next morning, at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., saying they observed him on the floor and believed he was asleep. Lyon College said Friday that the institution cannot comment on pending litigation. Ill call an Uber. To find out more about the aforementioned records, call the California Department of Public health at 916-445-2684. LITTLE ROCK (KATV) The Batesville Police Department has identified a Lyon College student that was found dead in his dorm room over the weekend. When people finally see and hear about this evidence this town is going to be furious and disgusted, Gilfedder said. The best part-time jobs for college students will beef up your resume (and, more importantly, your wallet) without sacrificing your grades. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. The court filing noted that the Gilfedder family is represented by two law firms: Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, P.A. And dont forget to download the White River Now mobile app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. The autopsy for model Christy Giles is complete, but authorities are waiting for further testing to determine a cause and manner of death for the California model, whose lifeless body was dropped outside a Los Angeles hospital Saturday. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. According to documents, James Gilfedder III, 19, was invited to an off-campus party Jan. 29, 2021, at a home in Batesville that was being rented by another baseball player. James and Nikki Gilfedder, the parents of the victim, spoke in an interview with KATV that aired on Thursday night. An hour and a half later, it was determined that Gilfedder was unresponsive and students notified the resident assistant, the documents state. Batesville police confirmed the party was held at a home partially owned by a baseball coach at Lyon College and all the renters are baseball players there. The lawsuit said the autopsy revealed the blood alcohol content of Gilfedder was .357% and the cause of death was acute alcohol intoxication.. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Batesville police told KATVs content partner KAIT Region 8 News, that student-athletes were interviewed and there are three persons of interest. The resident assistant did not check on him again that night and found him dead the next day, according to the document. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Gilfedder was a freshman at the. Gilfedder had attended a pre-season party at a house on Boles Street in east Batesville, near the Lyon College campus. On January 30th, 2021, while attending Lyon College (Bastesville, Arkansas) we learned of his tragic death. The home is believed to have been partially owned by Lyon College's baseball coach Jacob Huffman, documents state. According to documents, James Gilfedder III, 19, was invited to an off-campus party Jan. 29, 2021, at a home in Batesville that was being rented by another baseball player. Cabrales-Arzola was left two hours later at a Kaiser Permanente hospital in West Los Angeles, where she was in critical condition, according to KABC. 19-year-old James Gilfedder of California was attending Lyon College to play first base on the men's baseball team. The Batesville Police Department arrived on the scene around 12:38 pm and began an investigation. "Somebody did something. The house was being rented by other members of the baseball team. (202) 351-0510 | 2023 Hank Nuwer Unofficial Hazing Clearinghouse. In Arkansas, it is the public policy to protect minors as a special class of citizens from the adverse consequences of alcohol consumption, the lawsuit says. (The) kids got alcohol, they got drugs at that house. He had a lot of trauma on his face and all over his body and we knew that there was a different story, James said. Oct. 1, 2021 - Due to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department is enforcing strict health protocols to . James Gilfedder was supposed to be at Lyon College to play baseball, but instead, his life ended in tragedy after attending a party last weekend. Increase the Penalties for Hazing and End the Culture That Took My Sons Life, Six Years After Hazing Death of Timothy Piazza, Penn State Plans to Drop the Greek Life Oversight It Championed, WSU Students Death Ruled Suicide as Family Says Hazing Left Him At His Breaking Point, Hazing Injury and Death Attorneys in Michigan, Legal Advice For Hazing in Intermediate and High Schools, School and Workplace Shooting Victim Lawyer. Somebody killed him," Nikki Gilfedder, James' mother, said. The documents say the college and the coach were aware of the hazing of new teammates, including Gilfedder. The house was being rented by other members of the baseball team. The family believes that Gilfedders death is the result of a hazing event that went wrong. Gilfedders parents told Arkansas media that their sons body was battered, and he consumed a fifth of alcohol at a team hazing party. Police are waiting for autopsy results before commenting. The home is believed to have been partially owned by Lyon College's baseball coach Jacob Huffman, documents state. A 19-year-old Lyon College student was found dead in his dorm on Saturday, Jan. 30, according to police. For information from local physicians about COVID-19 vaccines,click here. The suit does not cite a specific monetary figure. The person Gilfedder went to the party with said he fell asleep in the car on the way home from the party, court documents state. The family got a call from Batesville police on Saturday that their son had died after going to a party with the baseball team. Another way to request for California Death Records is through online public databases. KATV asked James if he believed it was a hazing event. The lawsuit was filed by the family of Gilfedder naming as defendants: Lyon College; the property owner where the party was held, Huffmania Ventures, LLC; the baseball pitching coach at Lyon College and alleged part-owner of the company who owned the house where the party was held, Jacob Huffman; five John Doe insurance companies; and 10 John Does in the case. A college degree doesn't need to drain your finances. The resident assistant said Gilfedder was found "very intoxicated" and wandering the campus, so he was brought back to his room, the document states. The bruised body of James Gilfedder is undergoing an autopsy at this time while his teammates continue to play. Cockrill said the teen was pronounced dead at the scene. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Stone Foltz, 20, of Bowling Green State University in Ohio, died after drinking. Ive lost so much sleep. To make an online request for the death record you need, go to the website of Vitalcheck and follow the instructions stated there. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. Police say three people of interest have been developed, after interviews were conducted by police on student athletes at Lyon College. James and Nikki Gilfedder had no idea when they dropped their 19-year-old son off in Batesville two weeks ago that it would be the last time they saw him alive. At the time of Gilfedders death, the president of the college shared a news release confirming the death, and confirmed the college was cooperating with the police department. The autopsy is designed to determine the cause of death, properly document findings, and collect evidence. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. Nuwer was named the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists columnist of the year in 2021 for his After Darke column in the Early Bird. All rights reserved. Has your state launched one yet? All rights reserved. The suit does not cite a specific monetary figure. The parents traveled to Arkansas from California this week to learn about. But Giles mother, Dusty Giles, told KABC from her home in Alabama that the Uber driver waited, but no one ever came out of the apartment. He is married to Malgorzata Wroblewska Nuwer of Warsaw, Poland and Fairbanks, Alaska. "Somebody did something. An autopsy showed that Gilfedders blood alcohol content was .357% and that the cause of his death was acute alcohol intoxication. Have a news tip or event to promote? Sunday's cornhole tournament was all about celebrating his life and raising funds for the family. His new book is Hazing: Destroying Young Lives from Indiana University Press. An autopsy showed that Gilfedder's blood alcohol content was .357% and that the cause of his death was acute alcohol intoxication. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. (202) 351-0510 | While still waiting for the autopsy results, Gilfedder's family suspects his death is the result of a hazing event gone wrong. I mean he wasnt innocent, but that wouldnt have killed him. Batesville police say they have interviewed students, but will not have much information until the toxicology report comes back. (NWA Media). According to Batesville Police Chief Alan Cockrill, around 12:38 p.m. Saturday, the department was dispatched to the Lyon. A wrongful death lawsuit was filed Thursday in Independence County Circuit Court in connection with the January 2021 death of a Lyon College student-athlete found deceased in his dorm room.