Professor is cleared in student's death

A community-college professor will not face criminal charges over the death of a 19-year-old student who fell unconscious at his condo after a drug overdose.

phoenix police Thursday said that they have closed their investigation into the death of Andria Ziegler, one day after the medical examiner released a report that ruled her death an accident.

Ziegler's family said it will continue its campaign against Michael Todd, the 51-year-old Paradise Valley community college professor whose home Ziegler was visiting when she overdosed on cocaine. The two were romantically involved, school officials and family members have said.
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Todd will likely be officially fired from his position at the school on Tuesday, when the maricopa community college district board considers a recommendation to terminate the professor over his violation of the district's "amorous-relationship" regulation.

But Ziegler's stepfather, Doug mcmanus, said the community college and Todd will have more to contend with.

"The bottom line is, if this guy had not been teaching at the school, she would still be alive today," mcmanus said. "Had she not been lured over to his apartment, she would still be alive today. Those things I know unequivocally."

Ziegler died on a couch in Todd's condo in north phoenix early in the morning on April 20.

It took more than a day for Ziegler's family to learn of her death, because Todd claimed he didn't know her identity when paramedics brought her to john c. Lincoln deer valley Hospital shortly before 3 a.m. that day.

In its termination notice, the college criticized Todd, saying that he failed to provide emergency personnel with any of her belongings, including her purse, wallet and cellphone, that would have revealed who she was.

mcmanus claims Todd was trying to take advantage of his young student, but Todd's attorney told police in a statement that his client was on the way to a convenience store when Ziegler waved him down.

Ziegler followed him home, where the two talked and Todd allowed his student to stay because she refused to leave, according to the statement.

"At no time did I ever possess, purchase for, or supply Andria with any drugs or alcohol of any kind," Todd wrote.

"This is a tremendous tragedy."

A 911 tape released a few weeks later indicates that Todd knew Ziegler was using cocaine in his apartment, and Todd can be heard counting a number of beers the pair were supposed to have consumed that night.

The medical examiner's report showed no alcohol in Ziegler's system but did find a lethal dose of cocaine and metabolites consistent with the drug's use.

mcmanus acknowledged what the medical examiner found but said his daughter was part of a close-knit family and wouldn't have done anything like that had it not been for Todd's influence in her life.

Ziegler had asked her parents about dating a 35-year-old professor, whom they now presume to be the 51-year-old Todd, mcmanus said.

"We said, 'Absolutely not, it's not good for you. He's not looking for any type of relationship,' " mcmanus said. "He preyed upon women, upon impressionable young women. In my mind, like I said, my daughter was not this type of person."

Todd declined to comment when reached at his home, and his attorney did not return a phone call Thursday.

The professor was the subject of a discrimination complaint at the college in 2002.

The investigation did not confirm any discrimination had occurred, but Todd was ordered to complete an online sexual-harassment class.

If the community college and district had meted out a more severe punishment in 2002, Ziegler would still be alive, mcmanus said.

"The school's going to be held accountable," he said. "Todd's going to be held accountable."

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Friday, June 06, 2008 |

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