Missouri
Missouri student, victim of 'the worst fraternity hazing injury ever,' is 'alive for a reason': parents
On Oct. 19, 2021, Daniel “Danny” Santulli was blindfolded and shirtless when he was forced to drink a bottle of vodka taped to his hand at a fraternity pledge event. The incident left the University of Missouri freshman unable to see, walk or speak.
The case of the then-19-year-old, who suffered brain damage from severe alcohol poisoning, is being explored in A&E’s new true-crime docuseries, “Houses of Horror: Secrets of College Greek Life.”
The show details how Greek organizations can have “far-reaching consequences that can turn dangerous, even deadly.” It features interviews with former fraternity and sorority members, loved ones, law enforcement and other experts.
DRUM MAJOR’S HAZING LEFT HEARTBROKEN MOTHER WONDERING WHAT REALLY HAPPENED: ‘HE WAS BEATEN TO DEATH’
Daniel “Danny” Santulli, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, was a student at the University of Missouri. (The Santulli Family)
The Santulli family has come forward to raise awareness about their son and the peer pressure they said he endured leading up to his life-altering injuries.
“Prior to the incident, he was very sleep-deprived,” Santulli’s mother, Mary Pat Santulli, told Fox News Digital. “[The fraternity was] draining his account… He was very drained… At that point, I talked to him and said, ‘Danny, you don’t have to go through this. You can quit. You have to do what’s best for you.’”
“He was… quiet about it,” the matriarch reflected. “And then two days later, this happened… I just couldn’t believe what took place that night.”
Mary Pat Santulli is seen here with her son Danny Santulli before his night of horror. (The Santulli Family)
According to the episode, Santulli broke down to his older sister Meredith. He was struggling with the recruitment of the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta. His grades were slipping.
Previously, he was hospitalized after an older member instructed him to climb inside a trash can filled with broken glass.
At the time of the incident that would rock his family, Santulli was taking part in a ritual called “pledge dad reveal night.” According to the series, Santulli was forced to drink hard liquor, followed by beer.
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A lawsuit contended that Danny Santulli and the rest of his pledge class at Phi Gamma Delta were each forced to drink a bottle of hard liquor given to them by their “pledge fathers.” (The Santulli Family)
Just before 11 p.m., a heavily intoxicated Santulli was seen in security camera footage losing his balance, and eventually falling backwards. Fraternity members then carried him to a nearby sofa. At one point, his head hit a tile floor.
Santulli’s limp body fell off the sofa at 12:30 a.m. and was not put back until 15 minutes later, when he was taken outside. While carrying Santulli to the door, the video footage showed members of the fraternity dropping him. He was then taken to the hospital in a car driven by fraternity members.
Santulli was found in cardiac arrest and not breathing inside the vehicle. Authorities said his blood alcohol content was 0.486%, six times the legal limit.
Students gather to honor Danny Santulli on the one-year anniversary of his hospitalization on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022 at Peace Park on the University of Missouri campus. (Imagn)
Santulli’s father, Tom Santulli, told Fox News Digital it was important for him to watch the painful footage for himself.
“People say, ‘Are you sure you want to see it?’ Yes, I want to see what happened to my son,” Tom explained. “I do want to see the abuse. I want to see exactly what happened. And yes, I was blown away. But then again, I said, ‘I’m glad [I saw it].’”
“Now we’re focused – now we’re on a mission, and we’re going to hold people accountable for what happened that evening,” the patriarch added.
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Daniel Santulli seen in undated family photo before the hazing incident. (Photo courtesy of Tom Santulli)
Santulli spent six weeks at the University of Missouri Hospital’s intensive care unit before moving to a rehab hospital in Colorado. As a result of the incident, doctors say he will need care for life. He has been described as a victim of “the worst fraternity hazing injury ever in the United States,” his family’s attorney said.
“I think Danny’s alive… because other kids were not as fortunate when there was a hazing incident,” said Tom. “… He’s alive for a reason.”
“This is real, [this] is happening [to other students],” chimed Mary Pat. “It will continue if fraternities and sororities are still going on. People need to be educated and we need to talk to our kids. We need to let them know what’s going on. [Parents] need to do their research and find out if any of these sororities or fraternities have had past violations, what the record is.”
Daniel Santulli suffered “massive brain damage” after an October 2021 hazing incident. (Photo courtesy of Tom Santulli)
Attorney David Bianchi, who represents the Santulli family and specializes in hazing litigation, said the student’s injury was not an isolated event.
“These are part of a pattern of unsafe and dangerous behavior that represents the traditions of the fraternity,” he said.
Since 2017, Phi Gamma Delta, also known as Fiji, had six documented violations of alcohol distribution policies and two hazing violations in Missouri, according to university records. The Missouri chapter has since been shut down following Santulli’s hospitalization.
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Today, the Minnesota resident has been making “great strides,” but the pain has not lessened for the family.
“Danny needs care 24/7,” Tom explained. “We are the main caregivers, my wife and I. We also have nurses come in. We have caregivers come in. We have different folks who focus on speech, occupational therapy and physical therapy. We also have appointments for Danny.”
“But from the accident in 2021 to now, he has improved,” Tom shared. “I’m not saying it’s significant, but he is making strides.”
Santulli’s story is far from over. Loved ones went on to file a civil lawsuit against the fraternity and 23 members. It was settled for an unspecified amount in 2022.
In May of this year, Ryan P. Delanty of Manchester, Missouri, pleaded guilty to supplying liquor to a minor and misdemeanor hazing, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Santulli’s “pledge dad” was sentenced to six months in jail, KRCGTV shared. According to the outlet, he will also spend six months on house arrest.
Another fraternity member, Thomas Shultz of Chesterfield, Missouri, previously pleaded guilty to supplying liquor to a minor. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, two years of probation, and ordered to perform community service and complete a drug and alcohol education program.
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The University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Alec Wetzler pleaded guilty to charges of supplying liquor to a minor or intoxicated person and purchase/attempt to purchase or possession of liquor by a minor, according to KRCG. Court records showed that Wetzler was handed a 180-day jail sentence, as well as two years of unsupervised probation. He was also ordered to pay a $500 fine.
The university has disciplined 13 former fraternity members, the Columbia Daily Tribune reported. A spokesperson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
“Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Danny and the Santulli family,” Executive Director of Phi Gamma Delta Rob Caudill previously said.
Danny Santulli today. (The Santulli Family)
“Danny should not have been put in such a situation,” said Caudill. “The International Fraternity prohibits hazing and the provision of alcohol to minors and expects all members to follow the law and our policies.
“We support anyone being held accountable for their conduct and the consequences that may result. The International Fraternity acted immediately to stop all activities of the chapter, which is now closed.”
As the school season gears up, Santulli’s family is determined to warn other parents. Mary Pat even suggested that students considering Greek life should wait at least one semester and speak with other members first to educate themselves and their loved ones.
“It’s very difficult to relive everything and talk about it,” she said. “But I feel… it’s important to make people aware of what is happening in Greek life. Hazing is real. And we just want to make people aware, so this tragedy doesn’t happen to another family.”
“Houses of Horror” airs Mondays at 9 p.m. The episode “Bingeing to Belong” is available for streaming. Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz, Adam Sabes and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
JASPER COUNTY, Mo. (KY3) – A dog is now safe after being rescued from a deep sinkhole in southwest Missouri Saturday afternoon.
According to the Webb City Animal Control, a man was walking in an area between Webb City and Carterville and found the dog in the sinkhole. The man the called authorities.
Webb City and Carterville firefighters worked to rescue the male Husky mix dog by descending into the sinkhole. They were able to get it harnessed and safely lifted out.
Animal control says the dog had minor injuries and is being cared for at the Joplin Humane Society.
Officials say the dog was wearing a blue collar with no tag or microchip.
Anyone with information is asked to call 417-623-3642 ext 119.
To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com. Please include the article info in the subject line of the email.
Copyright 2024 KY3. All rights reserved.
A 15-year-old Missouri high school student died two days after suffering a medical emergency. It’s the third case to happen in the U.S. this week.
Around 5:32 p.m. on Wednesday Aug. 14 the Johnson County Med-Act were dispatched to Shawnee Mission Northwest High School in Shawnee, about 10 miles south of Kansas City, after a medical emergency was reported, a press release from the emergency care service said.
When the emergency responders arrived, the 15-year-old boy was in critical, life-threatening condition. He was then transported to a local hospital, the emergency service said.
“We have learned that the patient has passed away,” Capt. Joe Folsom of the Johnson County Med-Act told USA TODAY in a statement. “MED-ACT would like to extend our sympathies to the patient’s family, friends, and other loved ones.”
The Shawnee Mission School District identified the student as Ovet Gomez-Regalado and identified him as a sophomore at Shawnee Mission High School, according to a local outlet KSHB-TV,
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Shawnee Mission School District sends letter to families about football player’s death
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School’s principal sent the following letter home to parents regarding Gomez-Regalado’s death, according to reporting by local outlet KDFW-TV, who obtained the letter.
“I am writing to share some difficult news with you. This morning, we learned of the death of Ovet Gomez Regalado, a sophomore here at Shawnee Mission Northwest, High School,” the letter read. “As you can imagine, it has been an extremely difficult time for the family. Ovet was such a warm and wonderful student that touched the hearts of so many in our community.”
The letter goes on to say that many of Gomez-Regalado’s classmates may “need time to process what has happened.” The school district is taking steps to help their community cope with this tragic loss.
“School and district staff will be available to talk with anyone who is struggling to handle their emotions around this difficult issue,” the letter said. “If your child would like to talk with someone, please encourage them to let an adult know, and we will help them.”
USA TODAY reached out to Shawnee Mission School District but have not received a response.
3 high school football-related deaths have been reported this week
Gomez-Regalado’s death is the third reported death of a high school football player in 12 days.
Javion Taylor, 15, died after doing about 40 minutes of light drills on Aug. 5, according to the school district in Hopewell, Virginia.
Semaj Wilkins, 14, suffered a medical emergency during an afternoon football practice on Aug. 13, in Alabama.
Expert says August is the ‘deadliest month’ for heat
“August is the deadliest month for high school athletes because of the heat,” said Madeleine Orr, an associate professor in sport ecology at the University of Toronto in Ontario and author of “Warming Up: How Climate Change is Changing Sport.”
“A person doesn’t escalate into exertional heat stroke out of nowhere. There’s external signs,” Orr said.
Even if there’s no visual clues for a person to see, the athlete would be feeling it, Orr said.
“The athlete has to feel comfortable telling a coach or a trainer, I don’t feel well,” she said.
Orr and others are concerned about the increasing risks to athletes of all ages as the climate warms.
July and August are the most deadly months for heat-related deaths among athletes, Orr said.
77 heat-related deaths have been reported since 2000
According to a USA TODAY database, at least 77 heat-related deaths have been reported among athletes since 2000. Of those deaths, 75% occurred during the months of July and August, and 65% of the fatalities were among teenagers. The numbers do not include the recent deaths.
“Temperatures are higher and the athletes aren’t yet acclimatized to playing in tough conditions,” Orr said. “It’s when the athletes are the least ready and it’s the hottest time.”
“Athletes are coming back to practices a little less fit than they would have been a few months ago and not acclimatized to the heat at this time.”
Experts say heat-related deaths are largely underreported in the U.S., in part because the official signing a death certificate may not be aware of the circumstances that led to the hospitalization or death.
It’s “really hard to track” deaths from exertional heat stroke, Orr said. “You need an internal body temperature at that time.”
“If coaches don’t know to check, by the time the athlete gets to the hospital the illness might be attributed to something else,” she said.
GoFundMe account created for Kansas City high school football player
A family friend, Candie Dearing, created a GoFundMe account to help the Gomez-Regalado family.
In a post on the account, Dearing said that Gomez-Regalado was his parent’s youngest son.
“Ovet was only 15 years old and one of the kindest humans,” Dearing wrote. “He was always offering a huge smile with a hug. All that knew him loved him. Let’s all come together and show them support and help them while they grieve this huge loss in their family.”
At the time of publication, the account raised $19,571 of the $25,000 goal.
Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at aforbes@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @forbesfineest.
Corey Flagg and Khalil Jacobs were on two opposite sides of the Missouri Tigers defensive coordinator switch.
Flagg, a transfer from Miami, was recruited by former defensive coordinator Blake Baker. Then the defensive coordinator at Miami, Baker helped recruit Flagg as an incoming freshman to the Hurricanes.
When Flagg entered the transfer portal, Baker came calling from Missouri. Flagg committed to the Tigers on December 21, 2023. 15 days later, Baker transferred his coordinating duties from one Tigers to another, accepting the job at LSU.
“What drew me was Baker,” Flagg said in a press conference during fall camp. “He ended up leaving, so it was a big thing on trusting (head) coach (Eli) Drink(witz), (linebackers) coach DJ (Smith), the staff here. Everything they’ve said they were going to do, they’ve done. They provided us opportunities to compete, and we’ve been competing.”
Flagg stuck with Missouri with the promised opportunity to compete. To earn his opportunities. He’s competing with the likes of South Alabama transfer Khalil Jacobs.
Missouri hired Corey Batoon from South Alabama to fill in Baker’s spot on January 26, 2023. Four months into the job in late May, he successfully lured his former linebacker away from Alabama and Ole Miss. The connection to Batoon played a role for Jacobs, rated as a three-star transfer, but was not the deciding factor.
“Obviously it played a part in it,” Jacobs said of Batoon in an interview. “But ultimately the reason I decided to transfer was to better myself and have a better opportunity for my career going forward. Obviously the dream goal is the league and I’m trying to do everything I can to get there.”
A deep room with heavy competition can be one of the best way for a player like Jacobs to improve his game. It was a selling point for Flagg after Baker left.
“They (the coaching staff) just told me they would give me an opportunity to compete,” Flagg said. “That’s just their culture. The biggest example they gave me was Cody (Schrader). … So (Drinkwitz) has just given everybody an opportunity to compete at at the starting spot. That’s what I love about playing here, what I love about coach Drink.”
The Missouri linebacker room is full of ultra athletic players. Through offseason practices, Jacobs is confident the group will be difficult to face this season.
“These guys here, we compete every day,” Jacobs said. “We got a thing that we do, we do our times for our speed and these guys flying, so I think we’re gonna be exceptionally well here. We’re gonna fly to the ball. We’re gonna get there and make plays. When we get there, we’re gonna make sure we got someone coming behind.”
With the skillsets of both Jacobs and Flagg, however, the competition in the linebacker room won’t necessarily be a one-on-one race to be a starter. The two transfers have the versatility to line up at multiple different spots over the field. In their college careers thus far, both can use their speed to hunt down quarterbacks, drop back in coverage or hunt through a scuffle to bring down a runner.
Jacobs is a light 218 lbs at 6’2″. In 2023 at South Alabama, Jacobs recorded 53 total tackles, three sacks and one interception. He might not have the frame to be the most powerful tackler but he is an agile defender that brings some of the same traits that former linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper brought to the table. Smith described him as a raw, talented, linebacker that can get downhill to strike people.
This offseason, Jacobs looked to become a better run defender to become a more well-rounded player.
“I think that’s what I lacked a lot last year,” Jacobs said, “was being able to get good run fits and so I’ve been really working on this offseason to be able to know where to fit and be able to have someone behind me when I get there.”
Flagg played all over the field in his four seasons at Miami, serving as a starter in 2021 and 2022. He is slightly heavier than Jacobs at 230 lbs and 6’0″ but still has the speed to patrol the middle of the field. He brings flexibility and injury insurance to the Missouri defense to play at multiple linebacker positions.
“It’s good that we all can play different positions,” Jacobs said. “We’re not going to be stuck at one. We can all move around and have different pieces. Injuries are gonna happen. Obviously we’re not, looking for them but they might happen and it’s good that we have players that can move around.”
With Miami, Flagg recorded 174 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception. In his final year of eligibility, Flagg is not only looking to be a part of what he hopes to be a special team but also improve his individual game.
“I’ve been able to grow really well,” Flagg said. “Coach DJ has really helped me. … I’m really good at engaging blocks, but once I engage, it’s like, getting off of it. That’s something he’s seen in my game that I can take to another level.”
Both Jacobs and Flagg are still looking to find their roles as both players and leaders. It might take some time for the two to gel but the culture Missouri has built has stood out to the two.
“STP (something to prove) is not just something we say, it’s something we live out,” Jacobs said. “When I got here. everybody talking about ‘one more’ of everything. … All the workouts, we got one more, one more of this, one more of that.”
Flagg recognizes the special chance to jump on the ride and help finish the job for a team that has had to earn each step it’s made over the past few years.
“All these guys have been through so much adversity,” Flagg said. “(Quarterback) Brady (Cook) built this program up from where he was when he first got here. Coming in and finishing what those guys started was really key. I could feel that energy that they had. I just want to help finish it off.”
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