Parents Sue Fraternity After Son’s Tragic Suicide

The parents of a University of Texas at Austin student who took his own life have initiated a wrongful death lawsuit against the Sigma Chi fraternity, claiming that its members subjected their son to “terrifying” and violent hazing that ultimately led to a severe mental breakdown.

Sawyer Lee Updike, just 18 years old, died by suicide in January 2024 while still a freshman. His parents, Cheryl Roberts-Updike and Lee J. Updike, describe the initiation process into the fraternity as not only challenging but overwhelming.

The lawsuit was filed on November 20 against the Alpha Nu chapter of Sigma Chi and five individuals accused of mistreating their son and violating the fraternity’s national standards.

According to the complaint, Sawyer endured a “month-long hazing process” to become a full brother, which he started pledging in the fall 2023.

The allegations detail numerous physical abuses, including being injured with a staple gun, burned with a cigarette, and caught on a fishing hook during an alcohol-fueled event.

Furthermore, the lawsuit claims that during this initiation, Sawyer was exposed to illegal drugs, including cocaine, which contributed to his mental crisis and subsequent suicide.

The suit adds that senior fraternity members threatened Sawyer’s girlfriend, warning her of sexual assault if she failed to comply with the hazing rituals.

The culmination of Sawyer’s suffering reportedly occurred during his second semester when, on January 16, 2024, he was allegedly supplied with cocaine and psilocybin mushrooms at a fraternity event.

That same day, he drove to a convenience store and tragically took his own life in its parking lot.

Sawyer’s mother expressed her heartbreak, stating, “No parent should ever lose a child to ambiguity disguised as ‘brotherly love.’ What happened to Sawyer was cruel, senseless, and preventable. It is unbearable to know that such a promising young man was put in such danger in the name of belonging.”

Hazing is illegal in Texas and typically against the policies of educational institutions. Following an investigation into Sawyer’s death, the Sigma Chi international fraternity has mandated the closure of the Alpha Nu chapter in 2025. However, this chapter continued operating under a new name, “Alpha Nu,” in an apparent attempt to dissociate itself from Sigma Chi.

Recently, UT Austin officials issued a cease and desist order, instructing the fraternity to halt all activities.

Efforts to reach Sigma Chi International Fraternity and the University of Texas at Austin for their comments remain pending.