Mum of tragic student says daughter was raped by football star as others watched

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Her mum believes the footballer was partially to blame for the loss of her daughter (Image: Family Handout)
Her mum believes the footballer was partially to blame for the loss of her daughter (Image: Family Handout)

A mum who says her daughter was raped by a football star says sick players stood by and watched and the ordeal led to her tragic and untimely death.

University of Dayton student Quinn Moffett, 22, tragically died in January, 2021 after she was found dead in the bathroom of her boyfriend's house - with authorities believing it was an accidental drug overdose.

However, her mum Mary Moffett puts her death down to the night she was allegedly raped by a University of Michigan and Wolverines football star in summer 2018.

Quinn and two of the American footballer's friends had returned back to their friends flat at around 2am.

The pair drank from a dark bottle, which one of the men brought, and downed some shots.

Mum's touching gesture to young son who died leaves Morrisons shopper in tears eiqdiqxxiqdhinvMum's touching gesture to young son who died leaves Morrisons shopper in tears

But that would be the last Quinn would remember of the night, according to USA Today.

Mum of tragic student says daughter was raped by football star as others watchedQuinn Moffett and her mum who Mary who believes her daughter was raped (Family Handout)
Mum of tragic student says daughter was raped by football star as others watchedQuinn with her dad (Family Handout)

Her friend said the naked athlete had his arm over Quinn while she was in bed. She revealed she felt sick from the alleged incident.

She woke up the next morning at home without her shoes and purse; she couldn't recall how she got there, according to her text messages.

Mary believes her daughter was raped by the footballer as his three friends watched on.

The two other witnesses were never sought and a fourth player said to be invited over on that night but turned away at the door by his pals was never interviewed.

Her friend believes they were both drugged and raped and as a result Quinn suffered with her mental health, experimented with drugs, and self-harmed.

Mum of tragic student says daughter was raped by football star as others watchedThe school declined an internal investigation and never spoke to the footballer (Family Handout)

Gieving mum Mary Moffett penned a letter to University of Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel and to Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh on January 21, 2021.

She wrote: “I am writing to you as a mother who is grieving the loss of her 22 year-old-daughter."

Mary believed the footballer was partially to blame for the loss of her daughter.

She added: "I am writing and tell you this, as a Michigan football player is partially responsible for her death.

'I don't want children staying up late at weekends - I really need adult time''I don't want children staying up late at weekends - I really need adult time'

“Whatever happened back in 2018 was the catalyst for so much of the pain, sadness, and depression that took away the beautiful light she was, and left her struggling so much for the last few years.”

Mum of tragic student says daughter was raped by football star as others watched (Family Handout)
Mum of tragic student says daughter was raped by football star as others watched (Family Handout)

Mr Harbaugh called her three weeks later after having read the letter and said "he didn’t want that type of person on his team or representing the school", according to Mary.

He gave her his phone number and urged her to call if she found out the name of the player.

Her letter ended up in the hands of the university's campus police along with the Ann Arbor Police Department and the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office.

However, just two months later the allegations were dropped by all despite police not even speaking to the suspects, according to Mary.

With the victim dead, police decided the case was not worth pursuing.

The school declined an internal investigation and never spoke to the footballer after he swapped colleges.

Cari Simon, a lawyer who represents sexual assault survivors, said the decision to drop the case is "concerning."

She told USA Today: "To say, ‘We can’t do anything about it because she died’ – that’s a pretty concerning mechanism for dismissing a case.

"Is that somewhere you would feel comfortable continuing to get your education, knowing that’s what happened, and that the school did nothing?”

Mary said despite the talks with police, the university and his coaches one athlete’s actions had “devastated an entire family.”

She said in her letter: "The University of Michigan can, and has to do better It is too late for my precious daughter, but on behalf of all the young women on campus and in the community, I beg you to DO MORE.”

Liam Buckler

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