Breckenridge authorities said a Texas Christian University student who suffered burns when his peers branded his buttocks participated in the act willingly and no charges will be filed.
Authorities said Thursday they made the decision not to pursue charges after reviewing statements from Amon Carter IV and a dozen TCU students and examining video clips and multiple photos shot by students looking on.
The Summit Daily News reported that Carter, a sophomore who goes by the name Chance, had Greek symbols from his fraternity and a sorority branded on his buttocks Jan. 8 during a winter break trip to Breckenridge and needed surgery after suffering second-and third-degree burns.
Investigators said what happened was not part of a fraternity initiation because Carter was already a group member. They concluded Carter asked to be branded, he was awake when it happened, and he continued to party and dance afterward.
Meanwhile, TCU continues to investigate whether the episode violated university rules, even though the incident did not happen on campus, WFAA-TV of Dallas-Fort Worth reported.
Carter is the great-grandson of Amon G. Carter, Sr., who founded the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
