West Virginia University student and Kappa Sigma pledge Nolan Burch died tragically last November during their Big Brother event after suffering a “catastrophic medical emergency.” Now police have arrested Richard Schwartz, Nolan’s “Big Brother,” and charged him with one count of hazing and one charge of conspiracy to commit hazing.
“If convicted Schwartz could face a fine of no less than $100 and no more than $1,000 and up to nine months in jail on the hazing charge, and a fine of no more than $1,000 and no more than one year in jail for the conspiracy charge.” [source]
Allegedly, Richard Schwartz is the person who bought a bottle of liquor for the 18-year-old Burch, making him responsible for whatever happened that night.
According to the police report, Nolan was found unresponsive at a residence the night of the “Big Brother” event, at which point he was taken to back to the Kappa Sigma house. [Editor’s note: Hindsight is 20/20 here, but if we can just interject for a moment the right thing to do would have been to call 911 immediately. But we’d be fools to suggest that we don’t understand how freshmen would respond to this situation.] Once Nolan was taken back to the Kappa house, he was placed on a table at which point a brother noticed he had turned blue and didn’t have a pulse.
Officers arrived at the scene within two minutes of the 911 call. Nolan was declared dead two days later.
This whole situation is very terrible, especially because anyone who ever pledged anywhere knows that if things had happened another way it could have been any of us. Our hearts and thoughts go out to Nolan and his family.
Please, please, please look out for your brothers and sisters during the times they need you most.
