Oakland Gardens Student Dies in Fraternity Ritual

A Baruch College student from Oakland Gardens died earlier this week while taking part in a fraternity ritual, the New York Times reported.

Chun Hsien Deng, a freshman at Baruch, died after suffering “major brain trauma” while taking part in a ritual known as the Glass Ceiling, during which a fraternity pledge is blindfolded, has a heavy item placed on his back and must navigate his way to a person calling to him while others try to tackle him.

Deng, who is from Oakland Gardens, was taking part in the game last weekend in the Poconos, where Pi Delta Psi was holding a retreat, and died on Monday, the Times reported.

Police and the county’s district attorney are investigating the incident.

A spokeswoman for the college, which is part of the City University of New York, said the pledging event was “unsanctioned.”

Meanwhile, Baruch has suspended the rights of the fraternity on campus and conducting an internal investigation.

Deng had graduated in June from the Bronx High School of Science. He was studying finance at Baruch.