News reports from Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, May 20th, disclosed that an aggrieved couple brought a negligence lawsuit against the Texas Cowboys Men’s Student Organization (TCMSO). Michael and Sylvia Cumberland, wants the court to hold the body responsible for the wrongful death of their son, Nicky Cumberland.
The latter was a 21-year-old third-year student at the University of Texas when he suffered an accident in September 2018. He spent one-month receiving treatment in a Houston hospital before succumbing to his injuries.
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Court documents disclosed that Nicky was part of a group of initiates taking part in an off-campus Cowboys retreat in the Fall of 2018. After the event, the deceased was returning to UT in a vehicle with an unidentified driver. The person fell asleep at the wheel, causing the car to crash.
The then-student was ejected from the vehicle, leaving him with the extensive injuries that later claimed his life. Michael and Sylvia claim that their son and other initiates underwent a lot of binge drinking and hazing activities that contributed to the events that led to the accident and, ultimately, his death.
The TCMSO has since debunked that alcohol or any form of hazing contributed to the tragic accident. The Cumberlands’ alleged in the lawsuit that the cowboy’s negligence, coupled with their long and unrepentant culture of reckless behavior, killed their son.
In the negligence lawsuit, the couple wants the court to find the organization guilty and award them over $1 million in damages. They cited the death of Gabe Higgins after pledge activities in ’95 as the perfect example to prove their claims against the Cowboys. At the time, UT suspended the activities of TCMSO for five years.
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The articles published contain sensitive subject matter that may be hard to read by some. We understand that losing a loved one is hard and devastating. Safety Watch’s decision to share the stories is to help others who may be facing the same situations by providing appropriate resources to the general public.