By admin 
WILBERFORCE, Ohio (WTVG/Gray News) – The family of an 18-year-old filed a wrongful death lawsuit against an Ohio university, alleging she died during a hazing ritual.
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The family of Savanna Jones filed a lawsuit against Wilberforce University. Jones was a freshman living on the university’s campus when she died on April 30.
The complaint alleges Jones died in a dorm room at Henderson Hall following an initiation ritual for a social club called “the Turtles,” or “Turtle Club.”
The lawsuit described the ritual, called “crossing,” as an alcohol-based initiation practice where students were required to drink an entire bottle of liquor while answering questions or riddles.
“They’re not even allowed to gain membership into the Turtles if they stop drinking, if they vomit, or if they’re incapable of drinking,” Rex Elliott, an attorney for Jones’s family, said. “The sole admission into the Turtles is being able to drink a large amount of alcohol. That is the hazing ritual at issue.”
The lawsuit said the crossing happened while resident assistants were present, with more than 10 students gathered.
The complaint alleged Jones texted friends that she was going to “cross turtles” and that she was “lowkey scared.”
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The lawsuit said Jones quickly became severely intoxicated, vomited and could not stand. It said a photo circulated around 10:30 p.m. showing her lying on a bed, apparently unconscious.
“Savanna Jones had a very large amount of alcohol, and instead of taking her to a hospital and getting her immediate medical attention, they took her back to her dorm room and left her to die,” Elliott said.
The lawsuit claims no resident assistant, residence life staff member, hall director or campus safety officer stopped the gathering, despite the university’s dry-campus policies.
“When Savanna Jones was in deep trouble and it was clear she was in deep trouble, what did people do? What took them so long? Why didn’t they take her immediately to the hospital? Maybe her life could’ve been saved,” Elliott said.
The lawsuit named Wilberforce University, its director of housing and residence life, a student and unidentified defendants. It brought claims under Ohio’s civil anti-hazing law and also alleged negligence and failures in the supervision of campus housing.
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The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages and demands a jury trial.
Wilberforce University had no comment on the lawsuit.
Elliott said investigations are continuing and questions remain unanswered.