Parents Sue Sigma Chi After UT Austin Pledge’s Suicide, Alleging 'Horrific Hazing' and Forced Drug Use

The parents of 18-year-old University of Texas at Austin freshman Sawyer Lee Updike have filed a wrongful-death lawsuit accusing Sigma Chi’s Alpha Nu chapter and certain members of subjecting their son to prolonged, brutal hazing and coerced drug use that they say contributed to his suicide in January 2024.

Allegations in the lawsuit

Filed on Nov. 20, the complaint names the Alpha Nu chapter, Sigma Chi International and several individual fraternity members. According to the suit, Sawyer began pledging in fall 2023 and endured a "months-long" campaign of abusive conduct that included physical assaults and forced consumption of illegal substances.

The filing alleges a range of specific abuses: Sawyer was reportedly speared with a fishhook during an alcohol-related event, had his hip pierced with a staple gun, was deprived of sleep, burned with lit cigarettes, whipped and beaten, and forced to snort cocaine. The complaint also alleges some incidents were filmed or recorded.

Drug use, threats and the final days

The suit claims fraternity members supplied, encouraged, directed or forced pledges to use illegal drugs and that brothers threatened to sexually assault Sawyer’s girlfriend to secure his compliance. Around Jan. 16, 2024—about two weeks into his second semester—the complaint says Sawyer was given cocaine and psilocybin mushrooms at the fraternity house. The lawsuit alleges the drugs worsened an existing psychological crisis, after which Sawyer drove to a nearby convenience store parking lot and died by suicide.

Legal claims and relief sought

The parents, Sheryl Roberts-Updike and Lee J. Updike, accuse the defendants of negligence and gross negligence, arguing that each owed Sawyer a duty to treat pledges reasonably and protect them from harm. The family is seeking monetary damages for physical and emotional injuries sustained from the start of Sawyer’s pledging through the time of his death.

“I live every day with the weight of his absence. No parent should ever lose a child, and certainly not because of hazing disguised as ‘brotherhood.’ What happened to Sawyer was cruel, senseless, and preventable,” Sawyer’s mother, Sheryl, said in a statement quoted in the complaint.

Sigma Chi’s executive director, Michael J. Church, said the UT chapter has been closed and issued a statement emphasizing the fraternity’s values and the expectation that anyone found responsible should face appropriate consequences through legal and organizational processes.

Context and next steps

The lawsuit seeks accountability for the alleged pattern of abuse and forced drug use. Legal proceedings will determine whether the fraternity and its members are liable for damages related to Sawyer’s death. The case underscores ongoing national concerns about hazing practices and the risks they pose to students’ safety and mental health.

Mental health resources

If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available: text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor. You can also call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 support.