Four members of San Diego State University (SDSU) fraternity face felony charges after a pledge was severely burned during a skit at a party, with one member allegedly telling brothers to "delete evidence."
The incident occurred Feb. 17, 2024, during a fraternity event while Phi Kappa Psi was already on probation for violating university policies on alcohol and hazing, according to the San Diego County District Attorney's Office.
The skit, which allegedly involved setting pledge Lars Larsen "on fire" by member Christopher Serano, was reportedly pre-planned by fraternity leaders, including President Caden Cooper and Pledge Board member Lucas Cowling.
Despite restrictions, underage pledges allegedly consumed alcohol before the stunt, which left Larsen hospitalized with third-degree burns covering 16% of his body.
SDSU fraternities have a record of similar controversies, including hazing allegations and alcohol-related tragedies in recent years, PEOPLE reported.
The four fraternity members—Cooper, Cowling, Serrano and Larsen—have pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges, including recklessly causing a fire with great bodily injury and conspiracy to commit an act injurious to the public.
The San Diego County DA's office said the brothers "made a concerted effort" to hide their involvement "by lying to law enforcement personnel, deleting evidence on social media, and instructing other fraternity members to delete evidence and not speak to anyone about the incident."
The fraternity members have been released on strict conditions and are barred from participating in fraternity activities or underage drinking.
A preliminary hearing is set for April 16, where the court will consider the evidence and decide whether the case proceeds to trial.
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