Mother of hospitalized teenager speaks out about alleged hazing incident

The mother of the 18-year-old who was hospitalized after reports of hazing at a Mizzou fraternity spoke to ABC 17 News about the incident Thursday.

While university officials have not released specifics, the Columbia Police Department says officers responded last week to an assault report at 1301 University Avenue for a person drinking to the point of being transported by ambulance to a local hospital.

The mother, who requested not to be named, said Kappa Alpha waited several hours to seek medical attention for her son.

ABC 17 News confirmed Wednesday the fraternity was already on probation for a “previous alcohol incident.”

The mother told ABC 17 she believes the fraternity was concerned about getting in more trouble and waited to get her son help. She says members put her son in a room around 2 a.m. and then didn’t check on him again until 10:30 a.m.

She says by time paramedics got to the house her son was already in acute respiratory failure.

ABC 17 reached out to the national Kappa Alpha organization for a statement Thursday.

It said, ” Kappa Alpha Order continues to send our thoughts to the young man and his family. Our national administrative office is in an ongoing investigation and is working with university officials. We are also in contact with local law enforcement and with the family. At this point, more questions remain than answers. When the investigation is concluded, we will act based on the facts.”