We were deeply saddened by the news of Katie Meyer’s demise, a Stanford student and soccer player who passed away at the age of 22 on Tuesday. Meyer was a remarkable athlete and student, and her absence will be keenly felt by many.
The medical examiner-coroner in Santa Clara has confirmed that Katie took her own life. The office stated, “There is no evidence of foul play, and Meyer’s death was determined to be self-inflicted.” No further information has been disclosed.
Meyer was an outstanding student and athlete, and her passing is a tragedy. Our condolences go out to her family and friends during this challenging time.
Meyer was found deceased in her dorm on March 1, prompting a death investigation, according to a press release from Sheriff Laura Smith. According to the release, “Sheriff’s Deputies were called to a dormitory on Stanford University’s campus on March 1, 2022, at approximately 11:33 a.m. to conduct a death investigation.”
Deputies arrived and were met by the Palo Alto Fire Department and the Stanford Department of Public Safety, who were already at the scene.
An unconscious female student was discovered inside the dormitory, as reported by the Palo Alto Fire Department. The subject was pronounced dead at around 10:45 a.m.
The day after Katie’s passing, her parents Gina and Steve Meyer appeared on “Today,” discussing the possible triggers.
Meyer’s parents claim that she was worried about facing consequences from Stanford for “advocating for a teammate on campus over an incident.”
Gina asserted that over the past few months, Katie had been receiving letters regarding potential consequences. “This letter was essentially the final notice that there would be a trial or some sort of something,” she remarked. This is the only thing we can think of that could have led to something.”
The Family brought a legal action against Stanford University
Katie Meyer, the standout soccer goalkeeper for Stanford University, tragically took her own life. Now, her family is pursuing justice through a wrongful death lawsuit against the university.
The lawsuit alleges that Stanford is responsible for Katie’s passing, citing a disciplinary notice that was delivered to her on the evening of her death.
According to the lawsuit, Katie received a lengthy formal charge email from Stanford’s office of community standards containing a disciplinary notice following an incident in which she allegedly spilled coffee on another Stanford student-athlete, who was accused of sexually assaulting one of her minor teammates.
The Meyers argue that the notice and subsequent investigation placed an excessive amount of pressure on Katie, who was already grappling with mental health challenges. They believe that if Stanford had handled the situation differently, Katie would still be alive today.
While no amount of money can bring back their daughter, the Meyers hope that this lawsuit will bring attention to the issue of student-athlete mental health and encourage universities to better care for their students.
Later that evening, she was found deceased in one of Stanford’s residence halls, where she was a residential adviser. According to Meyer’s mother, the previous night she had been in good spirits, video-chatting with her family about a planned spring break with them.
Meyer’s parents asserted in the lawsuit that the letter Meyer received before she passed away “contained threatening language concerning sanctions and potential ‘expulsion from the university’”.
It said Meyer immediately contacted the university after receiving the email, stating that she was “shocked and distraught” by the notice, but that “Stanford employees failed to support Katie when she expressed feelings of despair”.
