DA’s Office Not Filing Charges for Suspected Hazing Death of UB Freshman, Sebastian Serafin-Bazan

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn announced Monday his office won’t file criminal charges for the April 2019 death of 18-year-old UB freshman Sebastian Serafin-Bazan.

Serafin-Bazan was found unconscious on the lawn of 69 Custer St., which belonged to the Sigma Pi fraternity, on April 12, 2019. He later died on April 17.

Buffalo police investigated Serafin-Bazan’s death as a potential hazing, and suspected Serafin-Bazan was “ordered” to do “strenuous” exercise as part of a pledging ritual for the fraternity, which led to his death five days later.

BPD investigated the death as a result of a possible hazing, which is illegal in New York State and qualifies as a Class-A misdemeanor. NYS law defines hazing as when a person is forced into “intentional or reckless” activities which cause a “substantial risk” of physical injury.

This is a developing story.

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