Northwestern Student’s Parents Want Sorority Held Responsible For Daughter’s Suicide

THE PARENT COMPANY, EPIC, SAYS THE PROBLEM IS NOW FIXED AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO USE STRONG PASSWORDS AND NOT SHARE INFORMATION. 19-YEAR-OLD JORDAN HANKINS DIED IN JANUARY OF 2017. HER PARENTS ARE OPENING UP TO CBS THIS MORNING IN THEIR ONLY TELEVISION INTERVIEW. JE JERICKA DUNCAN IS OUTSIDE THE SORORITY. Reporter: HER PARENTSTHE SCHOOL SAYS

THEY ARE DEEPLY SADDENED BY THE DEATH OF THEIR DAUGHTER. SHE HAD A SMILE THAT WOULD BRIGHTEN UP A ROOM. IF YOU WERE FEELING LOW OR FEELING DOWN, JORDAN JUST HAD THIS WAY OF MAKING YOU FORGET. Reporter: FROM A YOUNG AGE, JORDAN HANKINS HAD A PASSION FOR HELPING OTHERS AND A GIFT FOR

PLAYING SPORTS. SHE WON A FULL RIDE TO NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY ON A BASKETBALL SCHOLARSHIP. GOING FORWARD I HOPE THAT WE KEEP THE SAME ENERGY. Reporter: HER SOPHOMORE YEAR SHE TOLD HER PARENTS SHE WANTED TO JOIN A VOR SORORITY TO HELP OTHERS. DID HAZING ENTER YOUR MIND? WHEN SHE FIRST TOLD ME, I

THOUGHT THEY WERE NOBLE IN THEIR MISSION. Reporter: SHE WATCHED AS HER DAUGHTER BECAME AN OFFICIAL MOMENT OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA. A SENSE OF PRIDE AND RELIEF BECAUSE THE PROCESS WAS OVER. Reporter: BUT JUST SEVEN DAYS LATER, SHE TOOK HER OWN LIFE IN HER DORM ROOM. I TRIED TO REACH HER. I TRIED CONTINUOUSLY.

NO ANSWER, NO ANSWER. ULTIMATELY SHE WAS FOUND THE NEXT DAY. EVEN IF YOU ARE PART OF A SORORITY OR A FRATERNITY, IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOUR FAMILY. IT CAN HAPPEN. AND IT DID. Reporter: A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE SORORITY AND NINE MEMBERS ALLEGES THAT DURING POSTINITIATION PLEDGING, JORDAN WAS EXPOSED TO PHYSICAL ABUSE,

INCLUDING PADDLING, FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION, SLEEP DEPRIVATION AND OTHER FORMS OF HAZES INTENDED TO DEMEAN HER AND CAUSED SEVERE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AND THAT SHE WAS HAVING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. ACCORDING TO THE LAWSUIT, SHE EXPRESSED THAT TO HER SORORITY SISTERS. IT’S UNCLEAR WHAT HER PTSD STEMMED FROM. YOU BELIEVE IF THE SORORITY

HADN’T HAZED, JORDAN WOULD BE ALIVE TODAY? YES. SHE SOUNDED THE ALARM THAT THE INITIATION PRACTICES THIS WERE SUBJECTING HER TO WERE CAUSING HARM. AND THEY DIDN’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. Reporter: SHE TOLD SORORITY MEMBERS I’M FEELING SUICIDAL. DID SHE EVER EXPRESS THAT TO ANY FAMILY OR FRIENDS? I’M NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON

THAT. IT IS A DIRTY SECRET IN AMERICA THAT THE PROBLEM IS PERVASIVE AND EXTENSIVE IN SORORITY LIFE, JUST AS IT IS IN FRATERNITY LIFE. Reporter: TOM KLEIN REPRESENTS THE FAMILY OF TIMOTHY PIAZZA, WHO DIED IN 2017 AFTER A HAZING RITUAL THAT INVOLVED HEAVY DRINKING. IT DOES NOT TAKE A QUANTUM

LEAP OF IMAGINATION TO UNDERSTAND THAT A YOUNG PRN WHO IS DEPRIVED AND SUBJECTED TO PHYSICAL HAZING TURNS ON HERSELF. Reporter: TWO YEARS AFTER THEIR DAUGHTER’S DEATH, FELICIA AND WALTER HANKINS SAY IT THE HAPPY MEMORIES WITH JORDAN THAT KEEP THEM STRONG AND FIGHTING FOR CHANGE. IT’S IMPORTANT THAT I SPEAK

OUT, WHETHER IT WAS THE FIRST DAY AFTER SHE PASSED AWAY OR TODAY SO THAT HOPEFULLY SOMEONE ELSE WON’T SUFFER THE SAME FATE. Reporter: ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SAYS IT HAS A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY WHEN IT COMES TO HAZING. A SPOKESPERSON ALSO TELLS US IT CONSIST CONSISTENTLY EDUCATES ITS MEMBERS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF

HAZING, INCLUDING SUSPENSION OR EXPULSION. THEY DECLINED TO COMMENT FURTHER DUE TO THE SENSITIVE NATURE OF HER DEATH. THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE IS OPEN 24

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