PALO ALTO, Calif. (KRON) — Stanford University’s star athlete, Katie Meyer, was found dead inside her dorm room the morning after the university threatened her with expulsion, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed last week and obtained by KRON4.
A coroner ruled Meyer’s death a suicide after she was found dead on March 1. The night before, on February 28, she received a distressing email from Stanford’s Office of Community Standards informing Meyer that she was facing a formal disciplinary charge, according to the lawsuit filed on behalf Meyer’s parents in Santa Clara County Superior Court.
The charge stemmed from an incident in which Meyer poured coffee on a football player after he kissed one of Meyer’s soccer teammates without consent, the suit states.
Meyer, 22, was a “perfectionist,” captain of the women’s soccer team, held a 3.84 GPA, and was just a few months shy from graduating, according to the suit.
The prestigious university’s office ordered Meyer to appear for a disciplinary hearing to potentially face “removal from the university,” attorneys with Justice Law Collaborative wrote.
According to Gina and Steven Meyer, their daughter had “an acute stress reaction that impulsively led her” to die by suicide, attorneys wrote. “The actions that led to the death of Katie Meyer began and ended with Stanford University.”
The young athlete’s sudden death sent shockwaves of grief through Stanford’s campus and the sport of soccer nationwide.
Stanford University officials called the lawsuit’s allegations “false and misleading.” Stanford soccer star Katie Meyer dies by suicide
“The Stanford community continues to grieve Katie’s tragic death and we sympathize with her family for the unimaginable pain that Katie’s passing has caused them. However, we strongly disagree with any assertion that the university is responsible for her death,” Stanford officials wrote in a statement.
The statement continued, “Stanford’s Office of Community Standards (OCS) received a complaint regarding alleged behavior by Katie that resulted in physical injury, and as is the practice of the office, it launched a review of that allegation. After extensive factfinding and the opportunity for both sides to provide information, it was found that the high threshold was met for the matter to proceed to a hearing. However, it is important to emphasize that we are committed to supporting students through the student judicial process under OCS, and we did so in this case. In particular, the university offered Katie an advisor to work with her throughout the process and told her she could have a support person of her choosing with her in any meeting or conversation with OCS. The allegation that OCS did not communicate with Katie prior to February 28 is also incorrect. Several days earlier, the head of OCS had informed Katie that a decision would be made by February 28 whether to proceed to a hearing.”
The unnamed football player never wanted the school to take disciplinary actions against Katie Meyer, and he did not file a complaint with the OCS. Instead, Dean of Residential Education Lisa Caldera filed the complaint, according to the lawsuit.
The letter that Katie Meyer received on the evening of her death was sent by Assistant Dean Tiffany Gabrielson, and contained threatening language regarding sanctions, the suit claims.
The coffee-spilling incident happened on Aug. 28, 2021, but formal charge letter was not sent until the evening of Feb. 28, 2022.
Katie Meyer immediately responded to the email expressing how “shocked and distraught” she was over being charged. That evening, she was sitting alone in her dorm room and feeling terrified that her future would be destroyed, the lawsuit claims.
Earlier that same day, Katie Meyer was happily making plans for spring break and booking plane tickets, attorneys wrote. She attended classes, went to soccer practice, met up with friends, and FaceTimed with her mother and sister.
“Everyone she interacted with has advised she was well, in good spirits and the usual Katie,” the lawsuit states. Her death “was completed without planning and solely in response to the shocking and deeply distressing information she received from Stanford while alone.”
Katie Meyer was a fiercely competitive and passionate student-athlete. She led her team to an NCAA women’s soccer championship in 2019.
Stanford University “used” Katie Meyer as the face of its outstanding athletic teams, yet failed to support her mental well-being, legal expert Paula Canny told KRON4.
The lawsuit is an “indictment on Stanford’s disciplinary system,” Canny said. “It sure sounds like they did do something wrong.”
Stanford alumni who founded the Student Justice Project criticized the university for denying responsibility in connection to Meyer’s death.
“Katie Meyer was a beloved member of our community,” said alum Bob Ottilie. “It is unfair for Stanford to suggest she bears sole responsibility for her death; Stanford has to candidly assess the role they played here.”
The Student Justice Project, founded by five Stanford alumni in 2012, conducted case studies in 2012 and 2013 that found the university’s disciplinary process was “extreme.”
“Our extensive investigation from a decade ago indisputably demonstrated that Stanford University used draconian tactics to negatively impact the lives of its own students,” Ottilie said.
Ottilie has represented students accused of misconduct by the university in dozens of cases. He said Katie Meyer’s matter “would have been the least significant student disciplinary issue I had ever addressed at a college or university. It does not appear to have been a big deal at all,” Ottilie said of the charge against Katie Meyer.
If you or someone you know may need suicide prevention support, you can contact The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, by calling 800-273-8255. To learn more about the National Suicide Prevention Lineline click here.
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Character Profile
Full name: Henry Maxim Van Tassel
Meaning of name: Henry - House ruler, Maxim - greatest
Nickname: Love (by Eli), My love (by Eli, when they’re married)
Reason for nickname: Eli is an idiot and lame
Birth date: September 23rd, 1967
Zodiac sign: Libra
Libras born on September 23 are energetic factfinders. These highly verbal people combine a love of learning with good taste -- the hallmark of their sign. September 23 people manage to project an image of seriousness while still maintaining their charm.
Age: 26 (as of the beginning of the story)
CONTENT WARNING: mental illness, abusive parent, alcohol and drug abuse, violence
In a nutshell: Henry is the first-born son of a rich and influential family. His father is the CEO of an investment company, while his mother is a high-profile politician. He has never lacked anything and has been living the high life, not caring who he hurts in the process. When he’s twenty-five years old, he gets taken hostage by a group of people posing as only his mother’s political enemies (although their true motivations turn out to be even wider reaching) and his mother refuses to pay the ransom they ask for the safe return of their son. Henry spends a year in the clutches of his captors, only escaping with the help of a mysterious man who goes by Steve and doesn’t give a last name.
Once safely back at home, Steve reveals that the people who kidnapped him are still after them, and that Henry must help him put a stop to their plans before it’s too late. Embroiled in the mystery are also other characters from Henry’s past some of whom he thought were dead. Who is really behind it all? What do they want? And can Henry keep his loved ones safe from whoever is coming after them?
Physical appearance
Faceclaim(s): Young: Emjay Anthony, Main: Matthew Daddario, Older: Eric Bana
Height: 6ft 3 (190.5 cm)
Eye color: Brown
Hair color: Dark brown/black
Tattoos, scars, distinguishing features, etc: No tattoos, we imagine the runes don’t exist in Shadowhunters
Usual fashion of dress: business casual
Jewelry or accessories: expensive watches and cufflinks
Young:
Main:
Older:
Fashion:
Personality
Henry takes after his mother in his ability to be extremely personable. He is able to befriend and then use people for his own gains fairly easily. He’s charming, rich, and good-looking (a fact of which he is very aware of and takes advantage of often). Henry is extroverted and enjoys big gatherings and being surrounded by his friends and loved ones. He has a jealous streak, and he is possessive of people and things around him. He doesn’t want to lose anything, ever.
Despite his love of people, he also has a side that detests the political machinations of his mother and who jut wants to move to the countryside, never to grace the parties of New York’s elite again. He would describe himself as quite boring behind the scenes. He is compassionate and caring, willing to go to any lengths to help those he cares about. He is also very forgiving and falls in love easily.
Greatest joy in life: His siblings, his friends, cooking
Greatest fear: Something bad happening to those he loves
Why? He is very dependent on the people close to him and handles loss and/or solitude poorly. He feels responsible for his younger siblings, especially after he realizes that his mother isn’t the best parent in the world.
What single event would most throw this character’s life into complete turmoil? The death of either or both of his siblings.
Character is most at ease when: At home cooking, or anywhere with his close friends just having fun
Most ill at ease when: His mother asks him to do something he knows is wrong.
Enraged when: Someone or something threatens the things and people he cares about.
Depressed or sad when: He feels lonely
Priorities: His family
If granted one wish, it would be: He wants to step down from business and politics and open a restaurant of his own.
Character’s soft spot: His little sister Lorelai, later on his children
Is this soft spot obvious to others? Yes.
Greatest strength: Henry is compassionate
Greatest vulnerability or weakness: Jealousy, obliviousness, having been born into wealth.
Biggest regret: Trusting Demo and that time when he and Eli weren’t speaking.
Minor regret: Not standing up to his mother.
Biggest accomplishment: Getting his shit together and getting together with Eli.
Minor accomplishment: Quitting his job at his father’s company
Past failures they would be embarrassed to have people know about: Henry was kind of a an asshole in high school and is embarrassed about all the things he did and the people he hurt back then.
Character’s darkest secret: While escaping captivity, he shot someone, and it shook him deeply.
Does anyone else know? Steve, who was helping him escape at the time.
Other: Henry suffers from PTSD from having been held hostage for a year. He has debilitating panic attacks and struggles to come to term with it.
Goals
Drives and motivations:
Henry was raised to follow in his mother and father’s footsteps into politics and business. He starts out wanting to fulfill his parents’ wishes and it’s very important to him that they approve of him. Once he realizes it’s not what he actually wants, his goals change and he wants to find his own interests, including opening the restaurant and carving his own path in life.
Immediate goals: To get back on his feet after his ordeal, to win back his girlfriend and settle things with his family.
Long term goals: To figure out what the people who kidnapped him want and stop their plans, to be set free of his family expectations.
How the character plans to accomplish these goals: He has no idea at the beginning of the story, and he doesn’t want to involve any of his friends in the mess. It becomes quite clear quite fast that he’s not cut out for the job though, and he ends up getting help from many people. As for winning back his girlfriend and being set free of his mother’s expectations, well…
How other characters will be affected: Henry’s parents will be upset and will have to make other arrangements. Many friendship dynamics in Henry’s life will change and the way the world sees him will too.
Past
Hometown: New York City, New York, USA
Type of childhood:
Henry comes from generational wealth and has always had great expectations thrust upon him, even form an early age. He was also quite privileged and travelled often, especially to Europe.
Most formative childhood memory: When he was fifteen, there was a fire in his family’s apartment that nearly killed his sister. It was long thought that the fire was caused by their brother Seven, but when the truth came out years later when they were adults, it was shocking for everyone.
Childhood hero: Luke Skywalker, his mother
Dream job: A chef
Education: MBA (Master's in Business Administration)
Religion: He was raised protestant but he’s not religious.
Finances: Wealthy
Present
Current location: New York City
Currently living with: He lived alone prior to his kidnapping, then lived a short while with his parents before moving back into his old apartment.
Pets: He gets a dog when he is older.
Occupation: Chief marketing officer (CMO) in his father’s company
Finances: Wealthy
Family
Mother: Camille Austen, née Simmons
As a child and a young adult, Henry and Camille share a good relationship. He is definitely her favourite child, and she places a lot of trusts and expectations upon him. He is also the most alike to her, or so she thinks. As an adult, Henry starts to disagree with her mother and see through her lies. They grow more distant and have explosive arguments. Eventually they manage to somewhat reconcile and remain cordial until her death.
FC: Famke Janssen
Father: Leonard Van Tassel
They’re in good terms, though Leonard is often out of the country and in lieu of spending time with his son, he sends him money. They’re not close.
FC: Matthew Del Negro
Stepfather: Samuel Austen
Samuel and Samuel married when Henry was only three years old. Henry has known him for most of his life and considers him a family member. Samuel is the father of Henry’s younger siblings and Henry has a good relationship with him.
FC: JR Bourne
Brother: Dakota “Seven” Austen
Seven loves his brother but is often jealous of him and the love their mother showers him with. He compares himself to Henry and this causes issues in their relationship. Henry is protective of Seven and worries about him often. Nevertheless, they would both drop everything to come to the other’s aid, and they both know it.
FC: Miguel Herrán
Sister: Lorelai Austen
Lorelai is the younger twin, and thus the baby of the family. Henry is especially protective of her, which frustrates Lorelai to no end, though she does appreciate a big brother who has her back. She and Henry talk a lot and at one point team up against their mother’s schemes while Seven still believes her.
FC: Carlson Young
Love interests:
Mo Darling (ex-fiancée)
Henry and Mo started dating in high school when she was sixteen and he was eighteen. They dated on and off for many years. They were together when Henry was kidnapped and resumed their relationship afterwards, though things weren’t going very well for them before. They even got engaged, though neither was really sure if continuing to date is the right way forward. During their attempt to make their relationship work, Mo got pregnant, but they broke up due to Henry’s feelings for his best friend. They remained friends and shared the custody of their daughter.
FC: Alycia Debnam-Carey
Eli Moore (husband)
Henry and Eli were best friends since they were sixteen and fifteen respectfully. They were inseparable and once Henry started dating Mo, Eli was often included in the couple’s plans. Henry didn’t realize he had any sort of romantic feelings towards his friend until Eli got himself a boyfriend when they were already adults, but Eli had been in love with Henry for years, which Mo knew. Once Mo and Henry got engaged, Eli took it hard. Henry ended up finding out about Eli being gay when the pair kissed while Henry was still together with Mo, which caused them to put their entire friendship on hold and Henry’s engagement to fall apart.
Losing Eli made Henry realize he might have had feelings for him all along. He didn’t deal well with this and ended up going a drift, partying, and sleeping around. He met and started an affair with Demo at this time (which annoyed Eli). Slowly Eli and Henry start to build their friendship back up and eventually get together.
FC: Joe Sugg
Demo Buttergood (ex-boyfriend-adjacent)
Henry and Demo met when Henry’s life was pretty much spiraling out of control. They didn’t exactly date, but spent time together for a while, mostly partying. When Demo turned out to have been working for the enemy all along, the affair came to a sudden end and the pair became enemies. Henry and Demo clashed many times but once the real villain was uncovered, managed to make peace, and became friends. Demo is the godfather of Henry’s daughter.
FC: Daniel Sharman
Daughter: Marylou “Lou” Van Tassel
Lou was born at a time when her parents were at a crossroads with what to do with their relationship. They resolved to split up, but Lou had a relatively happy childhood, nevertheless. She loved both her stepparents, getting along especially well with Eli. Henry dotes on his daughter and has to be reined in, so he doesn’t buy her everything she asks.
FC: Benedetta Gargari
Son: Archibald “Archie” Van Tassel
Archie is Henry and Eli’s adopted son. He is fourteen years younger than Lou and came into the family when he was five. His parents were loving and supportive, and he didn’t lack anything his whole childhood.
FC: Young: Jacob Tremblay, Adult: Cody Fern
Favorites
Color: Blue
Music: Classic rock
Food: Enjoys gourmet dishes
Literature: Non-fiction
Form of entertainment: Movies
Mode of transportation: His car
Habits
Hobbies: Cooking, running, watching movies
How they would spend a rainy day: Watching movies with Eli
Spending habits: He has money to spare so he’s not overly conscious about saving money
Smokes: If you ask him, he’ll say no but he sometimes smokes
Drinks: A lot
Other drugs: Only occasionally, especially after breaking up with Mo (and Eli)
What do they do too much of? Worry
What do they do too little of? Think about the consequences of his actions
Extremely skilled at: Cooking
Extremely unskilled at: Using firearms
Traits
Optimist or pessimist
Introvert or extrovert
Daredevil or cautious
Logical or emotional
Disorderly and messy or methodical and neat
Prefers working or relaxing
Confident or unsure of themselves
Animal lover? Yes
Self-perception
How do they feel about themselves: Henry is quite sure of himself, though he hides some deep-rooted insecurities inside. They’re mostly to do with his sexuality and the fact that he doesn’t want to be a businessman.
One word the character would use to describe self: Boring
What does the character consider their best personality trait? Generous (actually it’s compassionate)
What does the character consider their worst personality trait? Anxious/cowardly (actually it’s jealous and possessive)
How does the character think others perceive them: As rich and powerful but rather boring and basic
What would the character most like to change about themselves: He would like to be brave and good in a fight instead of suffering from PTSD from his experience at the hands of his kidnappers.
Relationships with others
Opinion of other people in general: He loves people and spending time with them.
Does the character hide his/her true opinions and emotions from others? Yes, if need be but not around his friends.
Person character most hates: Demo Buttergood (formerly), William McAllister
Best friend(s): Eli Moore, Demo Buttergood, Mo Darling
Person character goes to for advice: His mother (formerly), Samuel, Mo, Demo(on and off), Lorelai
Person character feels responsible for or takes care of: Seven and Lorelai, later on his children
Person character feels shy or awkward around: Peyton Bradley. Mo dates him when she’s not dating Henry.
Person character openly admires: His mother (formerly), Demo (on and off)
Person character secretly admires: Peyton Bradley
Most important person in character’s life before story starts: Eli
After story starts: Also Eli
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