The family of Sawyer Updike, an 18-year-old Texas college freshman who died by suicide in 2024, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Sigma Chi fraternity at the University of Texas at Austin. The lawsuit alleges that prolonged hazing and brutal treatment by fraternity members, including the use of illegal drugs and physical abuse, contributed to Updike’s mental health crisis and eventual suicide. The case highlights the dangers of hazing practices, which are prohibited by both university policy and state law. The family claims that the fraternity’s actions, which included degrading rituals and threats of punishment, led to Updike’s tragic end. The university has announced it is investigating the allegations and has closed the Sigma Chi chapter following the incident.