Family in NIU student's death may widen hazing lawsuit - Philadelphia News, Weather and Sports from WTXF FOX 29

The family of a student who died in an alcohol-related hazing incident at Northern Illinois University is now hearing from the fraternity.

David Bogenberger, 19, of Palatine, died last November at Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. His blood alcohol level was as high as .43 percent.

The fraternity's executive vice president has now released a statement saying, "the international fraternity does not manage or control day-to-day activities of the affiliated chapters, nor their adult members..."

Bogenberger's parents also want to know who else was at the party the night their son died. Their lawyer asked a judge for access to police reports to find out the names of everyone who was at the party.

Lawyers say Bogenberger died because he wanted to fit in.

"He was 19. He did not accept or he did not believe, of course I can't ask, there was a potential he would die. Certainly, nobody held a gun to his head, but he wanted to belong, he wanted to be a part of the fraternity. He had no idea you could die," the family's attorney Peter Coladarci says.

The Bogenberger family are suing the fraternity for unspecified damages and the 22 students who were charged criminally in his death. They're planning a separate lawsuit against Northern Illinois University.