The parents of two students who took their own lives in Missouri are suing their university, a fraternity and another student who they believe are responsible for several suicides there in just one year.
An unlawful death lawsuit alleges that former Alpha Kappa Lambda frat member Brandon Grossheim gave his friends ‘advice on how to kill themselves’ while they attended Truman State University.
Nicole Gorovsky filed a lawsuit on behalf of the parents of Alexander Mullins, from Kansas, and Joshua Thomas, St Louis, who took their own lives at the Alpha Kappa Lambda House, 918 S. Osteopathy St. in Kirksville between the 2016 and 2017 academic year.
The lawsuit, obtained by The Kansas City Star, also links Grossheim to the suicides of two other Truman State students.
The parents of two students who took their own lives in Missouri have filed a lawsuit against Alpha Kappa Lambda frat member Brandon Grossheim, (pictured), who is said to have encouraged the deaths of five students who took their own lives
Alexander Mullins, (left), and Joshua Thomas, (right), took their own lives at the Alpha Kappa Lambda House, 918 S. Osteopathy St. in Kirksville between 2016 and 2017. A lawyer for their parents claims that another student gave them advice on how to kill themselves
They have not been named and are identified as John Doe 1, who was a member of Truman State’s Xi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity.
The other man, John Doe 2, was friendly with the other three students but did not attend Truman State University.
The death of a woman, called Jane Doe, is also included in the lawsuit as an investigation into this case continues.
All five students died during the academic year, while four of the young men ‘committed suicide by hanging.’
Mullins’ body was found in his room at the fraternity house, while the body of Thomas was discovered in a storage closet.
Gorovsky said a police investigation revealed that Grossheim had access to all five students, including keys to their rooms or apartments.
She claimed he was also the last person to see or speak to each of them before they died.
She told KTVI: ‘[This] which of course has very strong implications that he was counseling them on how to commit suicide,’ said Gorovsky.
‘There was clear foreseeability to the university that there was somebody dangerous on this campus and they didn’t do anything about it.
‘He participated, aided and abetted these people in committing suicide.’
An investigation found that Grossheim told people ‘that he considered himself a superhero with the nickname peacemaker.’
The Xi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Lambda was founded in 1953 at Truman State University
Gorovsky told The Kansas City Star that he told cops ‘he counseled people and gave advice and step-by-step directions to people on how to deal with depression and do their own free will.’
Grossheim had given friends ‘advice on how to commit suicide,’ the lawsuit states.
She said that police ran a computer voice stress analysis on him and ‘it showed some deceptions.’
According to cops, other members of Alpha Kappa Lambda apparently had ‘problems with Grossheim’ who ‘had a known fascination with death, wore the clothing of one of the suicide victims after his death.’
It was reported that he started to go out with Doe 1’s girlfriend just after he died.
According to the lawsuit, Mullins and Thomas had suffered from depression and that the university and others were aware that both students ‘were vulnerable.’
Melissa Bottorff-Arey described son Alexander Mullins as ‘funny, caring and smart’
The body of Joshua Thomas was found in a storage closet at Alpha Kappa Lambda house
They nevertheless enabled ‘a suspicious fraternity brother to be alone and have unfettered access’ to them.
Gorovsky added: ‘This tragedy was preventable. This situation had been swept under the rug.’
Alex’ parents, Melissa Bottorff-Arey and Suzanne and Michael Thomas, hired an attorney because they wanted to find out the truth about their son’s death.
Melissa Bottorff-Arey told KTVI: ‘I would want him (Brandon Grossheim) to face his day in court and be held accountable for the death.
‘He (Grossheim) was involved and kind of bending their ear, if you will, just kind of planting thoughts in their head.’
‘He needs to pay for what he’s done,’ she added.
Grossheim never graduated from Truman State University but ‘he was not kicked out by the university,’ attorney Nicole Gorovsky said
Truman State University said it strongly disagrees with the allegations and will defend itself vigorously against a lawsuit
Gorovsky claimed the parents would like faculty and staff members to receive ‘training so that they can recognize dangerous behavior so no other students are hurt.’
Mullins and one of the other students died in August 2016, while Thomas died in April 2017. Another student died in January 2017.
In a statement, Truman State University told DailyMail.com: ‘We are aware that an attorney has announced the filing of litigation against the university pertaining to the deaths of two of our students.
‘We strongly disagree with the allegations as stated in the lawsuit and will defend the suit rigorously.
‘As the litigation proceeds, it will become clear that the University is not responsible for the deaths of these students.
‘We will not comment further on this pending litigation.’
According to its website, the Xi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Lambda was founded in 1953 at Truman State University.
It states that it prides itself on emphasizing Judeo-Christian Principles, Leadership, Scholarship, Loyalty, and Self-Support.
An AKL spokesman said: ‘We have not had time to review the suit and speak with our attorney yet and therefore cannot comment at this time.’
If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.