Caitlin Nelson was an American college student at Sacred Heart University. She hailed from Clark, New Jersey. She is the daughter of James Nelson, a Port Authority Police Officer who passed away during the September 11 attacks.

Caitlin attended Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut where she majored in social work. An active part of her campus community, Caitlin was a sister in Kappa Delta and was the sorority's vice president. ^[1] Also, Caitlin was certified in youth mental health first aid and volunteered at the Resiliency Center of Newtown, a nonprofit group that provides free counseling and other services to people affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. ^[1] Caitlin is remembered for being a sweet girl who was full of life and cared deeply for others.

On March 30, 2017, Nelson was participating in a pancake eating contest when she started to shake uncontrollably and fell to the floor.

Nursing students jumped in to help her and then were joined by paramedics and police officers.

She was transported to a New York hospital where she was listed as in critical but stable condition but died three days later.

Her cause of death was revealed to be Asphyxia. Responding police officers said that Caitlin's mouth "was compacted with pancakes almost to her teeth." One officer said that the "glob of pancake paste in her airway" was like "concrete." ^[19]

Sacred Heart held a candlelight vigil on the evening of April 2nd in honor of Caitlin.

A group of young people who lost their parents during the September 11 attacks are considering creating a scholarship in her name.

In October 2018, the family of Caitlin Nelson filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Sacred Heart University, seeking damages in excess of $15,000.

The lawsuit claimed that the university was at fault for allowing the pancake-eating contest to happen, and described Nelson's death as "foreseeable."

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Sacred Heart University denied liability for Nelson's death, and argued in court that her "injuries and damages were caused in whole or in part by Caitlin Nelson's own carelessness and negligence."

The university also blamed the deceased sorority sister for not exercising reasonable caution or judgment and "failing to maintain proper and appropriate use of her senses."

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On November 9, 2020, the lawsuit with withdrawn after Sacred Heart University reached an undisclosed settlement with Nelson's family.

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