Back in January of 2021, Quinn Moffett tragically died from a drug overdose. She battled depression for two years after being allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted by a Michigan football player.
About two weeks after her death, Moffett’s mother sent a letter to Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh regarding this tragic situation.
“I am writing to you as a mother who is grieving the loss of her 22 year-old-daughter,” Mary Moffett wrote. “I am writing and tell you this, as a Michigan football player is partially responsible for her death.”
Moffett said whatever happened in 2018 was the catalyst for “so much of the pain, sadness, and depression” in her daughter’s life.
“I am writing to you as a mother who is grieving the loss of her 22 year-old-daughter,” the Jan. 21, 2021, letter read. “I am writing and tell you this, as a Michigan football player is partially responsible for her death.”
“The University of Michigan can, and has to do better,” she wrote in her last paragraph. “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.”
It took another three weeks for Harbaugh to call Moffett in a conversation that would last seventeen minutes.
She told him about Quinn and he offered his sympathy. He also asked her which player was responsible and said that “he didn’t want that type of person on his team or representing the school.” At the end of the call, he gave her his phone number and urged her to call if she found out the name of the player.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NCAA stories via Google! Follow Us
Despite having the names of the involved players, the Ann Arbor police department never even brought the players in for questioning.
As a result, Jim Harbaugh was not able to administer any punishment, since a 2020 Federal Title IX regulation banned coaches from disciplining players without a finding of fault in a disciplinary proceeding.
Of the three players said to be involved in the sexual assault, two of them remained on the team without suffering any consequences while the third was able to transfer to play at another school.
Harbaugh maintained in a statement to USA Today that he’s “hyper-vigilant when it comes to following my reporting duties.”
“Every time that I have been contacted about or learned of any concern or issue related to conduct within our football program, including those involving sexual misconduct, I have reported that immediately to the appropriate campus authorities and my supervisor,” Harbaugh said. “When this occurs, I cooperate fully and do everything to support the established process.”
In November 2021, Moffett wrote another letter after seeing one of her daughter’s assailants making plays against Ohio State.
“It was an experience so traumatic that it devastated her life,” Moffett wrote. “And those responsible, continue on in their lives and playing football as if nothing ever happened. No one cares or will do anything about it.”
