15 Washington State University fraternity charged in connection with alcohol-poisoning death of 19-year-old pledge

Fifteen members of a Washington State University fraternity are facing charges in connection with the death of a 19-year-old from alcohol-poisoning two years ago.

The former members of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity were charged by prosecutors in Whitman County, Washington, on Tuesday with the death of Sam Martinez, a freshman, in November 2019, according to The Spokesman-Review.

Martinez was taking part in "an initiation process at the fraternity” when he died of alcohol poisoning, the Whitman County Prosecuting Attorney's Office said.

According to investigators, the former fraternity members only phoned 911 the morning after the “initiation”, and four hours after the freshman was discovered "unconscious and not breathing."

The Pullman Police Department said the fraternity members attempted to perform CPR on Martinez, to no avail, NBC News reported at the time.

The Whitman County coroner afterwards found that Martinez died from acute alcohol poisoning and that the cause cause of death was accidental, according to KOMO.

Police said in February there was insufficient evidence for manslaughter charges, although the time frame for bringing hazing charges against the former fraternity members ran out.

Martinez’s family said in a statement said they were "deeply disappointed".

The fifteen men members of the fraternity, who were not identified, will appear in the Whitman County District Court at a future date.

If found guilty of furnishing liquor to one or more minors, the members face a prison sentence of up to a year and a fine of $5,000 (£3,541)