The parents of CJ Dickey, the 18-year-old Bucknell University football player who died last summer after collapsing at practice, have filed a lawsuit against the school.
In the suit, they allege wrongful death on the part of the school and claim the football program did not take necessary precaution during its summer workouts.
Dickey was hospitalized and treated for rhabdomyolysis before dying two days later.
Prior to his first football practice, he tested positive for a sickle cell trait that is accompanied with a higher risk of developing rhabdomyolysis, a life-threatening condition caused by muscles breaking down or excessive exercise.
“The death of a student is always a tragic loss,” Bucknell told NBC News in a statement.
“Bucknell University is aware of the lawsuit filed by the parents of CJ Dickey. While the University will not comment on pending litigation, we again extend heartfelt sympathies to CJ’s family, and we will continue to focus on our most important priority, the health and safety of all Bucknell students.”
Dickey’s parents allege that he told them while in the emergency room that freshmen were forced to complete “up-downs” as punishment for other members of the team struggling in workouts.
The lawsuit states that Dickey “went into convulsions, was projectile vomiting, and was suffering uncontrollable bouts of diarrhea” while in the hospital.
“As Nicole and I try to grapple with our new reality, the first thing we want are answers about what happened,” Calvin Dickey, Sr. said in a statement shared by his attorneys.
He added: “We want to know how this was allowed to happen, and so far, Bucknell has not answered any of our questions.”
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