A new docuseries details how a college freshman was left unable to see, walk or speak after a horrifying fraternity pledge event changed his life forever.
Daniel "Danny" Santulli was forced to drink a bottle of vodka that was taped to his hand while blindfolded and shirtless on October 19, 2021. The University of Missouri student's case is looked at in A&E’s new true-crime docuseries, Houses of Horror: Secrets of College Greek Life.
Daniel, who was 19 years old at the time, suffered brain damage from severe alcohol poisoning. Now the docuseries is delving into how Greek fraternities can cause "far-reaching consequences that can turn dangerous, even deadly."
Featuring interviews with law enforcement, family, friends and former fraternity and sorority members as well as other experts the show is looking to raise awareness over toxic practices. Daniel's mother has spoken out about the peer pressure he endured prior to his injuries.
Mary Pat Santulli, told Fox News Digital: "Prior to the incident, he was very sleep-deprived. The fraternity was draining his account… He was very drained… At that point, I talked to him and said, ‘Danny, you don’t have to go through this. You can quit. You have to do what’s best for you.’"
She added: "He was… quiet about it, and then two days later, this happened… I just couldn’t believe what took place that night." The episode highlighting what happened to Daniel explains how the Phi Gamma Delta recruitment process was having a negative impact on him and his grades.
He had already been hospitalized previously when an older member instructed him to climb inside a trash can filled with broken glass. Then on the night that his life changed forever Daniel was partaking in a ritual called "pledge dad reveal night."
The series claims he was forced to drink hard liquor, followed by beer, with security camera footage showing him losing his balance at around 11 pm and falling backwards. He is seen being carried to a sofa by Fraternity members with his head hitting a tiled floor at one stage.
At 12.30 am he is seen limply falling from the sofa and then 15 minutes later was taken outside. While he was being carried to the door the video showed Fraternity members dropping him. He was then driven to the hospital by Fraternity members. He was found inside the vehicle not breathing and in cardiac arrest. Authorities reported that his blood alcohol content was six times the legal limit at 0.486%.
Daniel's father, Tom Santulli, explained why he had to watch the footage for himself. He said: "People say, ‘Are you sure you want to see it?’ Yes, I want to see what happened to my son. I do want to see the abuse. I want to see exactly what happened. And yes, I was blown away. But then again, I said, ‘I’m glad [I saw it].’"
He added: "Now we’re focused – now we’re on a mission, and we’re going to hold people accountable for what happened that evening."
After six weeks in intensive care at University of Missouri Hospital Daniel was moved to a rehab hospital in Colorado. Doctors have said he will need care for life because of the incident. His family's attorney said he has been described as a victim of "the worst fraternity hazing injury ever in the United States."
Tom continued: "I think Danny’s alive… because other kids were not as fortunate when there was a hazing incident. He’s alive for a reason." Mary Pat added: "This is real, [this] is happening [to other students]. It will continue if fraternities and sororities are still going on. People need to be educated and we need to talk to our kids. We need to let them know what’s going on. [Parents] need to do their research and find out if any of these sororities or fraternities have had past violations, what the record is."
Meanwhile, their attorney David Bianchi said Daniel's injury was not an isolated event. He said: "These are part of a pattern of unsafe and dangerous behavior that represents the traditions of the fraternity."
Daniel Santulli arrived at the University of Missouri as a freshman in the fall of 2021 and, like many students do, joined a fraternity.
But the choice to do so almost ended up costing Daniel his life following a fraternity pledge event in the October.
On the night in question, Daniel - who was 19 at the time - was forced to drink an entire bottle of vodka and ended up being hospitalized.
His alcohol blood levels had been over six times the legal limit when he was found unconscious.
The ordeal is now being looked at further in a series called Houses of Horror: Secrets of College Greek Life, which features interviews with Daniel's family.
According to his mom Mary Pat Santulli, Daniel had been very 'sleep deprived' in the days leading up to the near-fatal hazing incident.
Mary Pat told Fox News: "Prior to the incident, he was very sleep-deprived.
[The fraternity was] draining his account… He was very drained… At that point, I talked to him and said, ‘Danny, you don’t have to go through this. You can quit. You have to do what’s best for you’."
The Houses of Horror episode reveals that the night that left Daniel with life-changing injuries wasn't the first time he'd been hospitalized, and that a few days prior he had needed medical attention after an older member of the fraternity instructed him to climb inside a trash can filled with broken glass.
Security camera footage revealed the events that unfolded on October 19, which has since been viewed by his parents.
While extremely difficult to see, Daniel's father, Tom Santulli, says that they're now 'on a mission, and we’re going to hold people accountable for what happened that evening'.
Speaking about his son surviving the ordeal, Tom told Fox News: "I think Danny’s alive… because other kids were not as fortunate when there was a hazing incident."
"He’s alive for a reason," the father added.
Daniel now needs 24/7 care, with his parents now being his main caregivers.
The Santullis also have other caregivers and nurses come help with Daniel's care as well as 'different folks who focus on speech, occupational therapy and physical therapy', his dad explained.
Houses of Horror airs Mondays at 9 p.m.
