Family of Deceased University of Missouri Student Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Fraternity
The parents of Riley Strain, a 22-year-old University of Missouri student who tragically died during a fraternity trip to Nashville earlier this year, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against his former fraternity, Delta Chi, and several of its members. The lawsuit, filed in Boone County, Missouri, seeks to hold the fraternity accountable for Strain’s death, alleging negligence and carelessness on their part.
Riley Strain disappeared on March 8, 2024, during a night out in Nashville while attending the fraternity’s annual formal trip. His body was discovered nearly two weeks later in the Cumberland River. The medical examiner determined his cause of death to be drowning and ethanol intoxication, with a blood alcohol level of .228, more than twice the legal limit. Toxicology reports also indicated the presence of Delta 9, caffeine, nicotine, and marijuana in his system. The manner of death was ruled accidental.
The 36-page lawsuit names 32 individuals, including the University of Missouri chapter’s presidents, recruitment chairs, and numerous fraternity leaders and brothers. It alleges that Delta Chi and its members were negligent in failing to take proper precautions to ensure the safety of all fraternity members during the Nashville trip. The family argues that the fraternity failed to intervene when Strain was visibly impaired and unable to care for himself.
The lawsuit outlines a series of alleged negligent acts by the fraternity, including the absence of proper safety measures for the event, allowing excessive drinking on the charter buses that transported the fraternity members to Nashville despite fraternity policies that should have prohibited such conduct, and the lack of chaperones or advisors to supervise the event.
According to the lawsuit, fraternity members observed Strain exhibiting unusual behavior throughout the night. They allegedly noticed that he struggled to speak, walk, and interact with others. By the time the group arrived at the last bar of the night, Strain was described as "virtually incoherent," leaning against walls for support, stumbling up and down steps, and completely unable to speak or communicate. The lawsuit claims that he was clearly in need of help.
The lawsuit details the critical moment when Strain was kicked out of the bar. It states that his fraternity brothers faced a choice: either accompany Strain, ensure his safety, and care for him, or continue partying without him. The lawsuit contends that Riley’s Delta Chi brothers chose to continue partying, leaving him to fend for himself.
After being ejected from the bar, Strain became lost and disoriented, stumbling in the wrong direction towards the Cumberland River, a four-minute walk from the bar where his fraternity brothers had last seen him. The lawsuit argues that rather than receiving support from his fraternity brothers, Riley was abandoned and alone.
The lawsuit further alleges that Strain’s roommates noticed his absence from the hotel room but took no action. The complaint claims there was no search, no panic, and no one called 911 to report that Riley had failed to make the twelve-minute walk back to the hotel in over three hours. The lawsuit asserts that the fraternity brothers did not even consider contacting Riley’s parents, instead choosing to prepare for bed and go to sleep.
The Strain family seeks a jury trial and is requesting damages to cover medical, funeral, and burial expenses. They are also seeking compensation for Riley’s pain and suffering prior to his death. The family asserts that Riley experienced conscious pain and suffering after being abandoned but before his death. They claim that as a direct and proximate result of the defendants’ negligence, Riley suffered severe injuries that ultimately led to his death. The lawsuit states that Strain suffered extreme physical and emotional damage, as well as pain and suffering, before his passing.
The lawsuit highlights the fact that Strain initially declined to attend the fraternity’s annual formal trip to Nashville in 2024. However, he allegedly decided to attend after facing continued peer pressure from his fraternity brothers. This detail underscores the family’s argument that the fraternity bears responsibility for placing Strain in a situation where he was vulnerable and ultimately met his tragic end.
The discovery of Strain’s body approximately two weeks after his disappearance brought a somber conclusion to a widely publicized search effort. A worker at a company based along the Cumberland River reported seeing a body to police, who were later able to confirm Strain’s identity. The circumstances surrounding Strain’s disappearance and death have sparked intense public interest and raised questions about the safety and supervision of college students during fraternity events.
The lawsuit filed by the Strain family marks a significant step in their pursuit of justice and accountability. They aim to demonstrate that the Delta Chi fraternity and its members acted negligently and that their actions directly contributed to Riley Strain’s death. The case is likely to draw significant attention to the issue of alcohol abuse, peer pressure, and safety protocols within fraternities and other student organizations. The outcome of the lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for how fraternities are held responsible for the well-being of their members, particularly during off-campus events. The Strain family hopes that this legal action will not only provide them with closure but also serve as a catalyst for change, preventing similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
