After a dare in connection with alcohol, a teenager is apparently paralyzed. The Columbia case is causing a stir in the United States.
After being forced to drink in a fraternity in the United States, a youth is said to be permanently paralyzed by his family. As several US media reported, the incident in the city of Columbia (Missouri) was several months ago. Surveillance videos are said to show how the then 18-year-old university freshman was fed alcohol through a funnel. According to court documents cited, he was also urged to drink a bottle of vodka.
The young man then fell over and became unconscious, as can be seen on the videos. According to broadcaster ABC, members of the fraternity finally took him to the hospital, where he was treated for cardiac arrest and a blood alcohol level of 4.6 per thousand. Today, seven months after the incident, the teenager is paralyzed, blind, in a wheelchair and will likely need care for the rest of his life. He lives back with his family in the state of Minnesota.
The university imposed penalties
A family lawsuit against more than 20 participants ended in a settlement. The University of Missouri imposed penalties on over a dozen students and the fraternity.
Fraternities in the US have been known to humiliate and exercise power over their new members in front of the group. In addition to being forced to drink a lot of alcohol, these include physical exertion, eating spoiled food, undressing the newcomers, abuse of any kind or tattoos.