Elizabeth Shin
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Shin was a Massachusetts Institute of Technology
student who died from burns inflicted by a fire in her dormitory room. Her death led to a lawsuit against MIT and controversy as to whether MIT paid adequate attention to its students' mental and emotional health, and whether MIT's suicide
rate was abnormally high. Although her death was first thought to be a suicide, both MIT and her parents have stated that it may have been an accident as a stipulation of the amicable settlement between MIT and the Shins.
On April 10, 2000, a student named Andrew Thomas heard a smoke alarm in Elizabeth's dorm room. Although the door was locked, Andrew could smell smoke and could hear crying coming from within the room. When MIT police broke down the door, they saw Elizabeth "engulfed in flames, flailing on the floor in the middle of her room." Sixty-five percent of her body was covered in third-degree burns
and she died several days later.
On January 28, 2002, Shin's family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the school and several administrators and employees. They accused the school of "breaching its 'promise' to provide an appropriate medical diagnosis and treatment of Shin, as well as reasonable security, emergency services and level of care." In their lawsuit, Shin's family alleged that despite numerous warning signs, such as sending email
s to faculty members saying that she was depressed and wanted to kill herself, she received minimal attention. MIT counseling services sometimes relegated duty to her parents, discharged her with minimal treatment, or failed to take action in response to her emails. Shin's parents say that their daughter's death was the 10th of 12 suicides committed by MIT students since 1990 and was foreseeable by the school's Administrators and its Mental Health Services employees.
As part of its defense, MIT implied that Shin's mental health problems started before she entered MIT, including a possible suicide attempt when Shin did not become valedictorian
of her graduating class.
After the incident, MIT announced an upgrade of its student counseling programs, including more staff members and longer hours. However, the Shins claimed these measures were not enough and filed a $27.65 million lawsuit against MIT, administrators, campus police officers, and its mental health employees. MIT and campus police officers were cleared of wrongdoing in June 2005, but the case against MIT administrators and mental health employees continued. The Shins' lawyer David Deluca commented that the counts against MIT might have been limited by the "immunity that the institution enjoys" as an educational institution.
MIT continued to deny wrongdoing. According to MIT's lawyer Jeffrey Swopes, "The death of Elizabeth Shin was a tragedy -- for this bright young woman, her family and friends, and all those at MIT who tried to help her... But it was not the fault of MIT or anyone who works at MIT."
On April 3, 2006, MIT announced that the case with the family of Elizabeth Shin had been settled before trial for an undisclosed amount. Through MIT, the Shins released a statement, saying, "We appreciate MIT's willingness to spare our family the ordeal of a trial and have come to understand that our daughter's death was likely a tragic accident. This agreement will allow us to move forward in the healing process."
The Shins' lawyer stated that the results of a toxicology test indicated that Elizabeth had overdosed on a nonprescription medication prior to the fire that could have prevented her from responding appropriately to its outbreak. This evidence may have played a part in the Shins' later admission that Elizabeth's death was an accident.
Shin's death was the tenth apparent suicide at MIT since 1990, provoking controversy as to whether MIT's suicide rate is abnormally high.
According to a 2011 article in the Boston Globe, MIT's suicide rate is not higher than other colleges.
announced the trial settlement with this message to the community on April 3, 2006:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
student who died from burns inflicted by a fire in her dormitory room. Her death led to a lawsuit against MIT and controversy as to whether MIT paid adequate attention to its students' mental and emotional health, and whether MIT's suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
rate was abnormally high. Although her death was first thought to be a suicide, both MIT and her parents have stated that it may have been an accident as a stipulation of the amicable settlement between MIT and the Shins.
On April 10, 2000, a student named Andrew Thomas heard a smoke alarm in Elizabeth's dorm room. Although the door was locked, Andrew could smell smoke and could hear crying coming from within the room. When MIT police broke down the door, they saw Elizabeth "engulfed in flames, flailing on the floor in the middle of her room." Sixty-five percent of her body was covered in third-degree burns
Burn (injury)
A burn is a type of injury to flesh caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, light, radiation or friction. Most burns affect only the skin . Rarely, deeper tissues, such as muscle, bone, and blood vessels can also be injured...
and she died several days later.
On January 28, 2002, Shin's family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the school and several administrators and employees. They accused the school of "breaching its 'promise' to provide an appropriate medical diagnosis and treatment of Shin, as well as reasonable security, emergency services and level of care." In their lawsuit, Shin's family alleged that despite numerous warning signs, such as sending email
Email
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
s to faculty members saying that she was depressed and wanted to kill herself, she received minimal attention. MIT counseling services sometimes relegated duty to her parents, discharged her with minimal treatment, or failed to take action in response to her emails. Shin's parents say that their daughter's death was the 10th of 12 suicides committed by MIT students since 1990 and was foreseeable by the school's Administrators and its Mental Health Services employees.
As part of its defense, MIT implied that Shin's mental health problems started before she entered MIT, including a possible suicide attempt when Shin did not become valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
of her graduating class.
After the incident, MIT announced an upgrade of its student counseling programs, including more staff members and longer hours. However, the Shins claimed these measures were not enough and filed a $27.65 million lawsuit against MIT, administrators, campus police officers, and its mental health employees. MIT and campus police officers were cleared of wrongdoing in June 2005, but the case against MIT administrators and mental health employees continued. The Shins' lawyer David Deluca commented that the counts against MIT might have been limited by the "immunity that the institution enjoys" as an educational institution.
MIT continued to deny wrongdoing. According to MIT's lawyer Jeffrey Swopes, "The death of Elizabeth Shin was a tragedy -- for this bright young woman, her family and friends, and all those at MIT who tried to help her... But it was not the fault of MIT or anyone who works at MIT."
On April 3, 2006, MIT announced that the case with the family of Elizabeth Shin had been settled before trial for an undisclosed amount. Through MIT, the Shins released a statement, saying, "We appreciate MIT's willingness to spare our family the ordeal of a trial and have come to understand that our daughter's death was likely a tragic accident. This agreement will allow us to move forward in the healing process."
The Shins' lawyer stated that the results of a toxicology test indicated that Elizabeth had overdosed on a nonprescription medication prior to the fire that could have prevented her from responding appropriately to its outbreak. This evidence may have played a part in the Shins' later admission that Elizabeth's death was an accident.
Shin's death was the tenth apparent suicide at MIT since 1990, provoking controversy as to whether MIT's suicide rate is abnormally high.
According to a 2011 article in the Boston Globe, MIT's suicide rate is not higher than other colleges.
MIT statement
MIT Chancellor Phillip ClayPhillip Clay
Phillip L. Clay isChancellor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Professor of City Planning. As Chancellor, Professor Clay has oversight responsibility for graduate and undergraduate education at MIT, including cost-cutting decision-making, as well as student life, student services,...
announced the trial settlement with this message to the community on April 3, 2006:
To Members of the MIT Community:
As most of you know, the family of Elizabeth Shin had brought a
lawsuit against MIT and some members of the student life staff and
medical staff following the death of their daughter in April 2000.
The suit against the university itself was dismissed in June 2005 and
a trial date for the remaining claims was set for May 1, 2006.
With the trial date approaching, Elizabeth's parents, Cho and Kisuk
Shin, have agreed in a settlement with MIT to dismiss all of their
claims, saying that they have come to understand that their daughter's
death was likely a tragic accident.
We know nothing can erase the pain of losing their daughter.
Elizabeth's death was a tragedy for her family, her friends and all
those at MIT who tried to help her. Indeed, the death of a student is
one of the most painful losses a college community can suffer.
We are very grateful to our colleagues in Student Life and MIT Medical
who devote themselves to the well-being of our students with an
extraordinary level of caring and professionalism. This agreement will
spare all of them the further distress of an emotional trial.
Sincerely,
Phillip L. Clay