June 5, 2008

Student Who Died at Professor's Home Suffered a Drug Overdose

A student at Paradise Valley Community College who died at a professor’s house in April suffered an accidental cocaine overdose, according to a medical examiner in Arizona.

Andria Ziegler, a 19-year-old student at the community college in Phoenix, died while visiting the home of her psychology professor, Michael Todd, 51, according to the East Valley Tribune.

A Phoenix police detective told the newspaper that Mr. Todd was not a suspect in the student’s death. College officials notified the professor in May that they planned to fire him for violating the institution’s ban on instructors’ having romantic relationships with students, according to the Tribune. —Eric Hoover

Comments

1. So far I haven’t seen the sentence Mr. Todd tested negative for recent cocaine usage. Seems to me you don’t close a murder investigation until you can say those words.

   — original marci    Jun 5, 03:57 PM    #

2. Has any such ban at a public institution been tested in the courts? It seems to me it would be of questionable constitutionality.

   — Gustave    Jun 5, 04:06 PM    #

3. Nice going, Todd. Way to feed into every pop culture portrayal of leering, slimy college professors.

   — Goodgrief    Jun 5, 04:12 PM    #

4. It was unfortunate that Ms. Ziegler died in an untimely manner while a “guest” in Mr. Todd’s home. I bet many of Mr. Todd’s faculty colleagues are engaging in simiiar misconduct with their students. They’ve escaped scrutiny because no student has died while “visiting” their home.

   — DPH    Jun 5, 04:28 PM    #

5. Oh Heavens Goodgrief, I’m sure it was all in the name of psuedo-science.

   — Humanitarian    Jun 5, 04:29 PM    #

6. Although the details are missing, but based on what I have read, I can say either the Phoenix police is totally incompetent or the professor has friends in the police dep. who are helping in closing the case quickly. How can police not test the professor for durg? She died of drug overdose in his house, not of some natural or unknown causes. The college officials are at least taking some action.

   — Sam    Jun 5, 04:47 PM    #

7. As someone mentioned earlier, the prof has a lot of ‘splainin’ to do.

   — sam    Jun 5, 05:09 PM    #

8. As poster #7 says, the details are missing. Which means that every single one of the posts above (except maybe #2) is a rush to judgment made in complete ignorance of the facts. Have you people no common sense? No decency?

   — Solito Sconosciuto    Jun 5, 05:17 PM    #

9. She was 19! He was 51 – what a sleezebag – I don’t care if she came on to him and was the agressor – he was the professor, had the power, and should have taken the high road. Fast forward 20 years – that 39 year old would be mortified by her behavior with her professor and feel used (as she was). Too bad this young womanl won’t get the chance to be 39.

   — Karen    Jun 5, 06:17 PM    #

10. Everyone seems to know that this guy had sex with this student. I shouldn’t say that—because it is covered up in double entendre and sarcastic quotes. How do you all know this? I read another article and the only thing I saw was that an unattributed private investigator told a reporter that the (self-described?) best friend of Todd said that Todd had told him that he (Todd) has once tried to date the girls but had been rebuffed. Is this how we know that he had a romantic relationship? Or are we taking the university’s response to be the last word on this?

    I am guessing that there is some other news source which corroborates that this guy in this case has acted in a sleazy fashion?

    — Jim    Jun 5, 06:37 PM    #

11. Well, Joren, there are always two sides to every story. People like you believe the first thing you hear and use it as an excuse to rouse a lynch mob. Mr. Todd may very well deserve our wrath, but we already know one of your allegations is incorrect; namely, the victim was not drinking alcohol.

    — CW    Jun 5, 07:11 PM    #

12. She died at his house, doesn’t say she was doing coke there. Maybe she got high, went over to see him, perhaps it was broken off, who knows! Probably safe to say he made some stupid mistakes.

    — Jo    Jun 5, 08:02 PM    #

13. Do people have nothing better to do than judge others? And do they need to compound the problem by basing their judgments on inference rather than fact?

    — PL    Jun 5, 08:20 PM    #

14. The public relations office of the Phoenix Police Dept. is either non-existant or incompetent. No competent police unit would close an investigation without insuring that the public it protects understood exactly what happened in a suspicious death case. The faculty member who was directly involved with the student and present at the scene is not drug tested. No information is provided about an investigation into where the student procured the drugs, how long were they in her system (An autopsy would reveal this timeline). From the time of death as stated in her Autopsy (if one was done); how much time elapsed before the police were summoned? What were the details of the information collected from the decedents family, peer friends and other college faculty and staff relative to their knowledge of her relationship with this professor and her prior drug consumption history? Is there a public record that these people were brought into police headquarters to give sworn statements? These are the steps that would have been taught in the first hour of a 45 hour course in crime scene investigation. Are Phoenix crime scene investigators subjected to any training at all? This is a very sad situation and an even sadder performance by the police dept. I am grateful that I do not live in, nor do I have any family living in Phoenix. It would be very unnerving. What the hell did the police do for two months? Their final report of findings is horribly anemic.

    — Bill    Jun 5, 08:38 PM    #

15. Has anyone in this discussion bothered to get the original data? The exchange is based on hearsay, second-hand opinions, and regurgitations. More awkwardly, many urtterances are offered in a fashion that is offensive and sadly misplaced in the journal purportedly serving the academic world. I am sure that the involved authorities are competent enough to deal with the problem, and if doubts exist, there are several legal means to employ in order to redress the errors. At the moment there is one fact: Ms. Ziegler died at the house of Prof. Todd, allegedly of cocaine overdose. Rather than being viciously judgmental, let the court of public opinion reserve its outrage for worthier causes (many of which may relate to the regrettable event at hand) without appropriating functions that rightfully belong to the courts of law. There are many other unpleasant aspects of academic life that would be far better served by vigorous discussions such as the present one. Most are, unfortunately, far more mundane and significantly less sensational.

    — Dag von Lubitz    Jun 5, 09:34 PM    #

16. Readers might be interested in some background to this story that was not included in this blog post but was included in the original news story. When the police first arrived at the professor’s house he denied knowing the student’s name, despite the fact that she had been a student of his for two semesters and had stayed in contact with her (even, according to some friends and family of hers, trying to pursue a romantic relationship with her). She was taken to the hospital alone (he declined to accompany her) and later to the morgue, identified only as “Jane Doe.” Her identity was discovered only when the parents reported her missing the next day. The parents eventually figured out that she had been with the professor and tried to contact him to no avail. When they went to his apartment her car was still parked in front of the complex. Whether or not he fed the cocaine to her, the fact that he was callous enough to let her be taken to the hospital alone, and, ultimately to the morgue as a “Jane Doe” is reprehensible. For that, I feel more than comfortable judging him morally, if not legally.

    P.S. I have no idea what Dag von Lubitz is on about.

    — Judgey McJudgerson    Jun 5, 11:08 PM    #

17. If I’m understanding correctly the reports of the story, the prof should be condemned on several counts, but I’m not sure the mere fact of a professor dating a student (not his immediate student, just A student) is one of them.

    — Chris K    Jun 6, 01:51 AM    #

18. Uh let me see if i have this right Chris. Uou see no problem w/ a 51 year-old prof. dating a 19 year-old student (and how old was she when he started hitting on her)? If you don’t find that to be “sleazy” than I’m afraid that is a comment on your judgement and ethics.

    — Kurt S    Jun 6, 02:26 AM    #

19. I wonder if all of those who feel so strongly that this guy is a sleaze ball (and he is!) because he wielded power over this young lady feel the same way about a certain former President who did the same thing with an intern only slightly older than this girl? I realzie the fact are slightly different, i.e. there was no cocaine and no one died. Howver, the outrage most of you express is because of the “romantic relationship”. Further, there should have been more outrage because of where their little trist took place was worse than a private residence, it was in his office, no in OUR office.

    Or does your outrage depend on what the definition of is is?

    — Hillary RC    Jun 6, 09:43 AM    #

20. Just read the original article and it clears up a lot. The Chronicle didn’t do a very good job in summarizing the story. Go to the source. Academics, of all people, should know that!

    — Kim    Jun 6, 09:49 AM    #

21. Just a suggestion —- follow the links in the above article to get prior information regarding the story.

    An earlier comment (#29), by another student on May 16 —- should have raised warning bells (since did complain to the dean about this prof.).

    Additionally, the facts, as pointed out by other comments —- that the body lay unidentified for 2 days at the morgue, raises numerous questions —- how did it get to the morgue from his house unidentified? —- hey there is a body in my house, come get it, it is someone who has been my student, but I don’t know who she is?

    Just follow the links in the article above —- and, see the comments made.

    — zahid    Jun 6, 09:56 AM    #

22. During my 20+ years at three campuses, I’ve known of two cases where faculty-student affairs led to the profs being terminated because they were married to other people at the time. However, I also know of two faculty-student affairs that led the unmarried individuals to tie the knot, and they’re still together. Should they have been fired? Should I shun these colleagues for being “sleazy”? I have no sympathy for the guy involved in this case, but stripped of the drugs and tragic death, the issue of regulating behavior among consenting adults has stymied universities, businesses, and governments for decades. As a mentor, I always tell new faculty never to get involved with students in a romantic way, but while someone can legitimately lose his/her job over such an affair, it’s difficult to see the basis for legal action.

    — Midwest Prof    Jun 6, 11:49 AM    #

23. Kurt S. No, I don’t, in priniciple, see a problem with a 51 year old dating a 19 year old. (Pray tell, what age difference is appropriate? What specific age would be appropriate?) Individual situations certainly vary, but I’m not going to suggest, through a gross generalization, that 19 year old women are incapable of making consenting decisions. Like commentor #25, I have three colleagues who are married (or in long-term relationships) with former students. I am not defending the untoward behavior of this specific professor; rather, I’m concerned about the gross infantilization of our students. Treat them as adults, and they may respond as such. I certainly don’t encourage such relationships, but they are no more complicated than all sorts of relationships in the web of hierarchies we all must navigate. So Kurt, this is a comment on my ethics, and…?

    — Chris K    Jun 6, 12:43 PM    #

24. The judgmentalism in some of these posts is unfortunate. My (fabulous) mother-in-law was happily married for decades to one devoted man…whose shared the same birthday as her mother. Generalizations about age appropriateness and the “sleaze” factor are just that: generalizations. The issue in academe is power and, let us not forget, institutional liability. Just as there are basic standards that apply to couples in academe (a spouse should not be in a position to reward his or her spouse financially or otherwise, e.g., no reporting relationship), there are basic standards for faculty members and students. If you are going to embark on a consensual relationship, recuse yourself from professional situations that would invite charges of impropriety (e.g., grades, letters of recommendation, etc.). And, if your institution has a “zero tolerance” policy on consensual relationships, understand the consequences of violating it.

    — Equanimity in academe    Jun 6, 01:21 PM    #

25. Joren. First, my intentions are irrelevant to the force of my argument (especially because your assessment is waaayy off base). Second, nope, not saying that students mature through such relationships; please don’t be so hyperbolic. Again, tell me what relationships don’t imply notions of hierarchy and power? And again, tell me what we should make of my colleagues who have married former students? In fact, a colleague of mine, who just passed away, was married for 18 years (until his death) to someone who is now my colleague, but was once a student. And again, there are certainly boundaries — someone in your class, someone you are advising — but simply being 19 is not, in principle, one of them.

    — Chris K    Jun 6, 01:23 PM    #

26. Joren, what is most bothersome about many of the comments here is that they assume as a premise that college students are children in need of protection. That is what I mean by infantilization. This is why some of my students behave like children and have trouble with responsibilty. Sorry to tell you, I see more healthy relationships between former students and colleagues than I often see in other settings.

    — Chris K    Jun 6, 01:35 PM    #

27. Joren, I feel sorry for your daughter. I also feel deeply sorry for you. As for your wish to meet me in some dark parking lot…please, don’t be silly old man.

    — Chris K    Jun 6, 01:46 PM    #

28. “pot-smoking pedophiles”

    19yo=pedophile? That is, literally, infantilization.

    — PLW    Jun 6, 03:53 PM    #

29. John Q.: At what point will you consider your daughter “sufficiently mature” to make her own decisions about relationships and to learn about consequences if she happens to make a poor choice in her life? When she’s 21? 25? Or is this a case of “I’ll know it when I see it”?

    Some fathers understand that their daughters sometimes have to fall down and scrape their knees in order to learn how to stand upright and proceed with strength into the world. Hopefully those fathers have been passing along important lessons before it was time for the daughters to leave the family nest, and those daughters have been receptive. Of course, it might not hurt to let your daughter know that you’d be tempted to practice your martial arts on anybody who treated her badly. However, what she needs to know is how to take care of herself, without your huffing and puffing. Speaking as both a parent and a father’s daughter…

    As for this case, please note “The medical examiner’s report showed no alcohol in Ziegler’s system but did find a lethal dose of cocaine and metabolites consistent with the drug’s use” (reported in The Arizona Republic today). She did not die “drinking alcohol that she couldn’t legally purchase herself.”

    — Equanimity in academe    Jun 6, 04:00 PM    #

30. This story has been well covered in the local press. The guy had an affair with the girl. She came to his apartment, became ill, and he took her to the hospital, told them he didn’t know her and left. She was treated and died as a “Jane Doe”. Her mother had to go looking for her to find her. I say, feel free to have sex with your students if it floats your boat. But then stand up like the men you pretend to be and take responsibility. And for crying out loud, admit that a 19-25 year old is a post-adolescent dope, not a savvy, experienced adult, and therefore often easy prey for losers who can’t keep it together with a partner who can stand toe to toe with them. Cry all you want, those of you who are fooling around with your students. You are scum.

    — Victoria Ayers    Jun 6, 04:17 PM    #

31. Gotta weigh in… all of the talk in general about protecting young adult women (sometimes with physical violence) from lecherous older men because they are too immature to make decisions for themselves is both sexist and insulting to women of all ages.

    Although I sympathize with parents (or sisters, or friends…) who agonize when a loved one makes poor relationship choices, the response to such choices has to be in the context of an adult relationship. Those parents, or others, who plan to try to force a young woman to make different romantic choices on the basis of her being too young to decide are in for some rough relationship years.

    That said… if someone you care about of any age or gender is in physical danger in a romantic relationship, get help.

    Yes, in this particular case, the guy sounds like he was not a very good human being, for how he handled it. She sounds like she had some human faults as well, from what we can gather of her choices. Almost all relationships involve SOME imbalance of power, but if he intentionally used or highlighted his to her disadvantage, he was unethical. The age difference might be socially creepy to some, but acceptable to others and certainly not illegal.

    As for his professional position… if she was not currently his student, and not subject to grades or supervision from him, the affair might not have met the criteria for most institutions’ consensual relationships policy.

    And whether he is responsible for her death…. that is the job of the police and/or a jury, and I have to concur with the folks who caution against a rush to judgment. There’s a big difference between being sleazy and being guilty.

    Since this board is supposed to be by and for the academic community, let me suggest checking out some studies of consensual relationship policies at colleges and universities. Try the keywords in Digital Dissertations or “consensual relationship” in ERIC for database links to related research and publication. These can give you some ideas of how leaders of higher education are trying to balance privacy among legal adults with sexual harassment issues, and both in the context of a primary mission of teaching, research, and service.

    — hieddoc    Jun 7, 11:28 PM    #

32. “And so their respective positions, which were to find public expression in the weeks and months to come, and then be pursued as demons in private for many years afterward, were established in these moments by the lake, with Briony’s certainty rising whenever her cousin appeared to doubt herself.” – Ian McEwan, Atonement, p.157

    — PM    Jun 8, 07:35 AM    #

33. I agree with a lot of what has been posted here.

    All of you should do some more reviewing of primary resources before posting.

    Check out the 9-1-1 call at:

    http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/117913

    Check out the original resource at:

    http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/117913
    And check out an article about Professo Todd’s previous complaints of Academic Sexual Misconduct at:
    http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/115362

    No mention made anywhere about whether or not professor Todd was ever tested for Cocaine or if his residence was searched for Cocaine. No mention made as to if the Circle K surveillance videos confirm that her car was broken there and was indeed jumped off. No explanation for why he later told investigators that he didn’t know her name when he told the 9-1-1 operator that her name was Andria?

    No mention of if the autopsy confirmed the physical manifestations of sexual intercourse that evening?

    Even with more info lots of questions.

    John Q, You sound like a neat guy, but this isn’t the forum for threats of physical violence.

    Chris, you’re support for this type of behavior is way over the top.

    As for Todd, I can not imagine knowing that a former student was dead or fighting for her life and not contacting her parents. It is unfathomable, excessively self-interested, and cruel that he didn’t contact her parents. Violating that basic barometer of decency is enough to fire him for in my opinion. Those poor parents-not knowing for two days.

    — Academic Technology Trainer    Jun 9, 11:07 AM    #

34. I think some of you may be missing the point here. It’s not a simple matter of whther or not a 19-year-old can make his/her own decisions about relationships. They can and many make rather poor decisions. Not because of their age or intelligence levels but just because they’re still rather young in the sense that many have gone right from the shelter of their parents’ home to the relative shelter of a college dorm.

    I am not quite prepared to declare that all 50-somethings who “date” teenagers are sleazy—though I do feel that way myself—but I am very concerned about elders taking advantage of their positions of authority to hold sway over young women. It does not matter much to me if someone is a college professor or the President. This is one of those situations that, to my mind, is clearly and unquestionably inappropriate.

    Further, as ATT so aptly stated, if my daughter was fighting for her life and her professor—regardless of the nature of their relationship—did not even bother to contact us to visit her in the hospital before her untimely passing, then I am forced to agree with John Q. I would be hard-pressed to restrain myself. My children are my life and to act this way towards someone’s daughter with such disregard for loving parents is an even greater crime than an inappropriate sexual relationship. My thoughts and prayers go out to that poor family. I have a cousin who had a cocaine problem at one time and his mistakes do not take away from the love my aunt and uncle have for him. The entire situation is tragic.

    — Another Concerned Dad    Jun 9, 12:03 PM    #

35. To: All,

    Let me add to my earlier comment # 24 —- For, at this juncture seeing the tenor & tone of some of the comments, I personally am at a loss in understanding how legalistic guilt or innocence can be judged at this point in time (yet I personally feel, based on the information presented in the article —- that Prof. Todd is not merely a disgrace to his profession, but a disgrace to all Humanity —- Period).

    Howsoever, having stated the above, in my opine the information offered, not only leaves a lot to be desired —- it clearly involves some charges (albeit lesser ones), which should already be in play.

    For Victoria (# 39):

    Whilst I agree in toto with the emotive content of your comment —- I would like to state that based on the linking articles (to the above article), — I read the following:

    “Ziegler, a Phoenix resident, was pronounced dead at 3:18 a.m. April 20 at John C. Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital in Phoenix, about 45 minutes after paramedics discovered her in a comatose state at the north Phoenix home of Michael Todd, 51, according to Phoenix police.”

    Based on the above —- a minor clarification would be he called emergency assistance providers, (rather than took her to the hospital) —- additionally, you are techincally correct in using the terminology “she became ill” —- howsoever, in my opine in this instance, it fails to convey the gravity of the situation —- as indicated by a comatose state (let me however clarify —- you may be correct, for my observations/comments are based merely on the above Article, and its direct links —- clearly limited information vis-a-vis others, including yourself)

    For All:

    My confusion keeps increasing —- as I revisit.

    Apropos: The linking article states:

    “Ziegler’s death is being investigated as an unknown homicide, and Phoenix police Detective Stacie Derge had said that Todd was not a suspect in her death and that no suspects were being pursued.”

    Does the terminology/verbiage ring any bells “investigated” “unknown homicide” (not accidental death by overdose)—- and the fact that “Not a Suspect” does not mean that one is immune from “Becoming a Suspect,” (or being ‘Charged” at a later date).

    And:

    As to the debate ensuing in the comments, let me state my opine based on what I read in the linking articles:

    Apropos; According Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office No Alcohol was in Andria Ziegler’s system, versus Todd who said Ziegler drank 17 beers (according to a Phoenix police report). —- One would think charges of lying to the police; obstruction of justice, etc. would be applicable.
    Ziegler’s death is being investigated as an unknown homicide —- but there are no suspects
    According Todd they sat around while she did some coke …

    Obviously Questions Arise:

    Where did the coke come from?
    Who supplied it?
    Was all the Coke used up? If not, then does not the balance of the illegal substance if left in the professors home, clearly constitute a possessions charge? Or, did the Professor hand the left over coke to the fire dept. (the first responders), or the police, or …
    Was the Professor’s home ever searched/examined, —- it is the scene where the event took place, or is that irrelevant?
    Was the Prof. ever tested for drugs? —- The list goes on

    At this juncture —- shifting tracks let’s take another perspective look:

    According to Todd’s statement —- the person who has had 17 beers and coke wouldn’t leave —- forget the coke everyone asks their guest/guests, who have downed 17 beers to leave (be interested to know whether he expected her to drive herself home, or stagger out on her own at that hour of the night in the condition she was in?)

    Next 17 beers and coke and not leaving —- resulted in him the Professor letting her sleep on the couch (how considerate) —- and, he went upstairs to bed —- he then returned downstairs 1½ hours later to wake her up (why, at that hour of the early morning, would you come down to wake someone up —- hey it’s 2 in the morning, time to rise and shine), but she would not get up (surprise?)
    Next the Phoenix Fire dept responded to the call (early Sunday Morning) —- took her to hospital where she died 90 minutes later (did they also take her possessions, including any left over coke?) —- and, her body lay in the morgue unidentified for 2 Days.

    Meanwhile on Monday afternoon (Make it about 10 hours or so after she was dead). Her mother reports her missing —- An apparent fact is clear; i.e., parents didn’t know she was dead —- and, the police did not know she was dead (they took a missing person report, and only connected the missing person to the body 2 days later) —- so obviously Todd had not disclosed the name of the dead person (feel somewhat that this does fall into some sort of obstruction of justice charge —- or did he lie? —- isn’t lying to the Police against the law? Can’t it also can be construed as obstruction of justice —- or was the answer to the person’s identity withheld on the grounds of self-incrimination —- no bells go off here right?)

    For All: She died in April —- Is there any update —- Would like to know what progress has been made?

    To: Joren (#27):

    I appreciate the fact, that you intuitively grasped at was I was alluding to —- Setting aside, the emotional aspects, I fully concur with you, that the ethical/moral requirements far transcend any legalistic requirements —- given that in some sense Professors are ipso facto secondary parents (it is and has been the nature of the job for eons).

    Additionally, as you can ascertain, —- lost in all the emotional comments, was the important issue of “Earlier Warning Bells.”

    Comment #29 (Mouse) —- See linking article states she had complained to the Dean about Prof. Todd.

    Having stated that in my earlier comment (see #24):

    My interest in the same remains —- Were the warning bells ignored by the Dean —- Was this the only complain or were there others?

    The fact that one student has commented publically, —- does not necessarily mean that she was the only one harassed.

    Would like to know, and would appreciate if anyone would enlighten me as to:

    Whether the institution has made any statements in the above regard —- and, as to whether or not the institution acted …

    — zahid    Jun 9, 12:35 PM    #

36. I certainly agree that it is difficult to determine what happened without going back to basic source materials, and anyone who cares about the truth should do that. The problem here is that the primary “source” materials available at this point are news articles- most of which are written in these days of journalistic expediency from a single uncorroborated source, and often without attribution at all. That is why so many of us are surprised when a “guilty” person gets acquitted. We have convicted him or her through the jury of public opinion based upon “facts” which a jury finds to be far from true. As a result, the supposed culprit becomes a victim, and a societal outcast. Academics have a higher duty than to engage in the feeding frenzy. We owe it to both the professor and the deceased (whose reputation has been similarly sullied- but with sympathy, at least) to mourn her loss, be very concerned about the circumstances which led to her demise, but wait to act upon what we think we know until we actually know it. Wouldn’t you want that same consideration? I certainly would, both for my daughter and for myself.

    — bmar    Jun 9, 03:01 PM    #

37. I still don’t understand how 1) a freshman has any business at a professor’s house and 2) how a cocaine OD in such a circumstance is “accidental.”

    — Robin Kemp    Jun 9, 05:13 PM    #

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