A frat pledge might have to lose fingers due to frostbite after a hazing incident at Syracuse University. According to Fox News , members of Nu Alpha Phi fraternity brought three of their pledges outside in the middle of the night , forcing them to crawl through snow and do pushups after they “failed to perform their daily duties.” The pledges were not properly dressed for the frigid cold temperatures, were not wearing gloves, were kept outside, and were forced to put their hands in the snow, which caused health issues.
“After about 30 minutes, the pledges were given hand warmers and told to walk back to the frat house, according to police. One of the pledges, an unidentified 20-year-old, experienced extreme pain in his hands and sought treatment Sunday at a hospital,” reports Fox News .
The frat pledge may have to lose four of his fingers due to frostbite that he suffered during the hazing stunt. The ring and pinkie fingers on both of the student’s hands may need to be removed. Syracuse police Lt. Eric Carr called the injury “potentially life-altering.”
Police are currently investigating the incident and have held two students responsible. According to the New York Post , two frat members have since been charged with hazing . The other two pledges that were forced out into the snow have chosen not to take part in the investigation for reasons that are unclear. One can presume that they do not want to get anyone in trouble despite both being mistreated themselves.
Meanwhile Nu Alpha Phi has been suspended by Syracuse University.
“The university has zero tolerance for any form of hazing and takes this matter extremely seriously,” the school said in a statement.
This is not the first fraternity to get in trouble this month either. According to the Inquisitr , a fraternity at the University of Michigan received a four-year suspension after going on a wild weekend rampage at a ski resort. The frat and some other students reportedly caused $430,000 in damages that included ruined furniture, broken ceiling tiles, and carpet stained with urine.
“We are embarrassed and ashamed of the behavior of a few of our chapter members at Treetops Resort over the weekend of January 17-18. This behavior is inconsistent with the values, policies, and practices of this organization,” Sigma Alpha Mu wrote on their website after learning about the incident.
[Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons ]