Lawsuit Filed After Tragic Death of Northwestern Student

Ilana Linder, Manley Burke, ilinder@manleyburke.com

The mother of Jordan Hankins, a Northwestern University basketball player and Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) pledge who committed suicide, has filed suit against AKA National, the local chapters, and several individuals, seeking to hold the defendants responsible for her daughter’s death. According to the Complaint filed earlier this month, Jordan was subjected to severe hazing by AKA that triggered her PTSD and caused her severe anxiety and depression, despite the existence of AKA’s anti-hazing policy. Moreover, the Complaint alleges that Jordan notified members of the sorority that the hazing activities were triggering her mental distress, she was having suicidal thoughts, and had a plan to commit suicide, but the hazing did not cease.

This case is particularly interesting because it involves a plaintiff’s attempt to hold the sorority wholly
responsible for Jordan’s mental health issues that drove her to commit suicide. It is unclear from the
Complaint whether the hazing alone triggered Jordan’s issues or whether there were pre-existing conditions, or other contributing factors (such as stress from being a collegiate athlete) at play. Moreover, aside from the claim that Jordan informed AKA about how the hazing was affecting her mental health, it is unclear whether Jordan’s suicide was truly foreseeable by any of the defendants.

Fraternal Law will continue to monitor this case as it proceeds.