The mother of a Rutgers University student who was struck and killed by a train after leaving a fraternity party in 2017 has filed a wrongful death suit against the university, the police department, and the fraternity.

Claudia Patterson, the mother of freshman Kenneth Patterson, filed suit in Superior Court of Middlesex County in Dec. 2019, saying that Theta Delta Chi, the fraternity that threw the party, was under disciplinary action, and Rutgers should have known they were serving alcohol anyway.

A university spokesperson declined to comment on the pending litigation, but said Rutgers cooperated with the Amtrak Police Department during the investigation.

“The University was deeply saddened by the death of Kenneth Patterson and offered our condolences to his family and counseling services to our students affected by this tragic loss,” Neal Buccino said in a statement sent to NJ Advance Media.

Patterson, a native of Rockaway, was killed the night of Theta Delta Chi’s TDXmas party on Dec. 9, 2017, the suit says. He was drunk when he left the Huntington Street frat house, and was later struck and killed by an Amtrak train trying to walk back to his dorm room, a friend told the Daily Record.

Theta Delta Chi was under sanctions not to hold any parties or fraternity related events at the time, the suit says, but it’s not clear why. The fraternity did not return NJ Advance Media’s request for comment.

The fraternity “acted with complete disregard for the safety of others” in giving alcohol to underage students, the suit says. It also alleges that Rutgers failed in their duty to oversee fraternity events on campus.

In addition to the lawsuit, the Patterson family has launched the “Justice for KJP” initiative on social media, looking for more information on what happened between the time Kenneth Patterson left the party and his death.

“We still have no answers but you have great friends who celebrate your beautiful, vibrant life with us. I miss you every day and hope one day we find out the real story,” Claudia Patterson wrote on the second anniversary of his death.

Kenny - today would have been your 20th birthday!! Happy Birthday sweetheart!! I miss you so much every day and am... Posted by Justice For Kenny Patterson on Monday, March 18, 2019

Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieKausch. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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