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Baruch College Hazing Death Update: Pi Delta Psi Fraternity Members Allegedly Attempted Cover Up

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New details have surfaced in the death of Baruch College freshman Chun Hsien Deng, 19, suggesting fraternity brothers may have tried to cover up his injuries sustained in a hazing ritual.

First reported by the New York Times, Deng, a Pi Delta Psi pledge, died from brain trauma caused by being tackled to the ground during a hazing ritual called "Glass Ceiling." He was forced to carry a 20-pound load on his back while fraternity brothers tackled him at random.

Police were investigating the time lapse between Deng's collapse and when the fraternity members brought him to the hospital. According to TWC NY1, the Pi Delta Psi members waited 90 minutes to take Deng to the emergency room.

The group of pledges and brothers were in the midst of a Poconos weekend retreat in Tunkhannock Township, Penn. and the nearest hospital was a half-an-hour away. The Pocono Mountain Regional Police said the fraternity members waited an hour after Deng's collapse to leave for the hospital.

"They did not seek medical attention right away. They did not call 911," said Chief Harry Lewis. "They just took him inside the house, put him by the fire. They Googled some information, and then, they made a decision probably an hour or so later to drive him to a hospital, which is probably still 30 minutes away."

Police said on of the tackles to Deng caused him to fall over and hit his head, but some fraternity members described the incident as horseplay. It is not clear who or how many, but at least one of the witnesses reportedly broke down and came clean about the hazing ritual.

Police will now try to determine the degree of the attempted cover-up as well as the violent hazing ritual that caused the injuries in the first place. Prosecutors said charges are likely, but will need the police to finish their investigation.

According to the Associated Press, marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms were found in the vehicles belonging to the fraternity members, but there were to drugs or alcohol in Deng's system.

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