( CNN ) -- The mother of a college student who died of alcohol poisoning at Cornell University is suing Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity for $ 25 million in a lawsuit that alleges fraternity pledges bound her son 's wrists and ankles and forced him to drink alcohol in a hazing ritual on the night of his death . George Desdunes , 19 , was a sophomore member of the fraternity when he died in February . The wrongful death lawsuit , which was filed by Marie Lourdes Andre in Brooklyn Supreme Court on Monday , alleges he was kidnapped by a group of Sigma Alpha Epsilon pledges and forced to drink alcohol and other substances while being quizzed about the fraternity . `` The kidnapping and ensuing events were part of a long-standing fraternity ritual that was authorized and encouraged by SAE chapter officers and members , '' reads the complaint . He was then left on a couch in the fraternity house where he lived , where he was found by a housekeeper the next morning . Desdunes , an aspiring doctor , had a blood alcohol content of 0.409 % -- more than five times the legal limit -- when he was found , according to the lawsuit . `` It 's every parent 's nightmare , '' said William Friedlander , Andre 's lawyer , who added that the lawsuit is `` not about the money , '' but to bring attention to the issue of hazing . `` Our object is to get the secret rituals out in the open , '' Friedlander said . `` It 's a way to hold ( fraternities ) accountable for their policies . '' The lawsuit cites at least three other alcohol-related deaths of Sigma Alpha Epsilon members or pledges , including , most recently , the 2009 death of University of Kansas pledge Jason Wren . The parents of California Polytechnic State University student Carson Starkey , who died of alcohol poisoning as a Sigma Alpha Epsilon pledge in 2008 , settled a similar lawsuit against the fraternity , said their lawyer , Douglas Fierberg . `` The circumstances leading to Carson 's death are substantially similar to the circumstances leading to George 's death , '' Fierberg said . In a statement addressing Andre 's lawsuit , officials at Sigma Alpha Epsilon 's national headquarters said that the Cornell chapter of the fraternity was suspended after Desdunes ' death . `` Sigma Alpha Epsilon maintains stringent policies and guidelines for its chapters as part of its risk-management program and reaffirms its zero-tolerance policy for actions that do not comply with our regulations , '' the statement reads . `` Members are expected to adhere to our fraternity policies and to uphold behavior consistent with our creed , 'The True Gentleman . ' '' Cornell University , located in Ithaca , New York , withdrew recognition of the fraternity for at least five years . `` George Desdunes ' death was a tragedy for our campus community , '' said Tommy Bruce , Cornell 's vice president of communications , in a statement . `` We want to be clear that Cornell University neither condones nor tolerates hazing or the type of activities that we understand contributed to George 's death . '' `` The matter is now in litigation , and we will be following it closely as it progresses through the courts , '' Bruce said .
Sophomore member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon died with blood alcohol content of 0.409 % . Suit filed by his mother says fraternity pledges tied him up , forced him to drink . Fraternity 's national office says Cornell chapter suspended after the death . Lawsuit cites three other alcohol-related deaths of SAE members or pledges .