Police: Penn State frat waited 12 hours to call paramedics after student's deadly fall

Authorities in Pennsylvania said Tuesday that a Penn State University fraternity failed to alert paramedics about a student who fell down a stairwell until about 12 hours after the incident.

State College police said Timothy Piazza, 19, of Lebanon, New Jersey, died Saturday from injuries sustained in the fall. Police found him unconscious on a couch on the main floor of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.

Frat members told police the sophomore was intoxicated when he fell down the basement stairs at about 11 p.m. the night before during a party. Dauphin County Coroner Graham Hetrick said Tuesday that Piazza’s fall was accidental and he sustained multiple traumatic injuries from the fall, according to Fox 43.

The fraternity has been suspended, but police say its members are cooperating.

“This cease-and-desist means the chapter is prohibited from hosting or participating in any fraternity or sorority activities social or otherwise, including any new member or pledging activities,” Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers said in a statement, per Centre Daily.

“It is no longer considered a recognized student organization at this point in time.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.