Katie Meyer’s laptop presents clues that may be relevant to the wrongful death lawsuit that her parents filed against Stanford University after the former soccer goalkeeper and captain died by suicide more than a year and a half ago.

According to USA Today, a Sept. 28 order from Judge Frederick Chung of the Superior Court of Santa Clara prompts Meyer’s parents, Steve and Gina, to provide a “mirror drive” containing sensitive information from their daughter’s laptop in 30 days that may provide clues about the downward spiral for Meyer at 22 years old and just months ahead of her graduation.

The Meyers agreed March 10 under oath to hand over the mirror drive but, according to the judge’s order, “then backtracked” and argued they never agreed to give an “absolute mirror image” of their daughter’s computer and rather only “responsive,” “non-privileged information,” according to the order.

The judge wrote that argument is “baseless.”

“The court finds that a mirror image of Katie Meyer’s laptop is directly relevant to the central issues in this case, including Katie’s state of mind and her activities on her computer,” the judge wrote.

The litigation between Meyers and Stanford has been combative with each party blaming Meyer’s death on the other for breaching duty of care.

The tension has only grown in light of the mirror drive.

Meyer’s parents say it proves Stanford is in the wrong, as disciplinary action from the university against Meyer was found, according to court filings.

Meyer, according to school officials, may have acted in retaliation when spilling a hot coffee on a Stanford football player in 2021, who had to receive medical attention for the burns.

According to the school’s records filed with the court, the unnamed player had reportedly kissed one of Meyer’s teammates without consent a week prior.

Stanford sent Meyer an email on Feb. 28, 2022, the night before her body was found in her dorm room, explaining that she would be a facing disciplinary charge from the incident.

A five-page letter was also sent to her, according to a court filing, informing Meyer that her degree was going to be put on hold less than four months from graduation and the charge could warrant her removal from the university.

“Computer forensics shows that Katie frantically toggled back and forth between the letter and the attachments and searching how to defend a disciplinary complaint,’’ according to a court document that added Stanford’s Counseling and Psychiatric Services were closed when Meyer received the email.

“The actions of Stanford and its employees in charging Katie with a violation of fundamental standards over spilling coffee on a Football Player perpetrator of sexual assault without sufficient evidence was reckless, and wrongful and resulted in an acute stress reaction and her impulsive suicide.”

According to Meyer’s parents, their daughter was dealing with depression and suicidal ideation at the time of the disciplinary news and the university’s handling of the process, they believe, led to Meyer’s suicide.

In defense of the disciplinary charge, Stanford said the unnamed soccer player who was kissed without consent by the football player did not take initiative in conducting a formal investigation, according to court records.

The university brought forth evidence against Meyer’s parents in response that they argue shows the parents’ contribution to her suicide.

Six days before Meyer’s death, she practiced a presentation in front of teachers that she would later make to the class about her family relationships before coming to college, according to the court filing.

Notes were taken, according to Stanford’s attorneys, that revealed Meyer’s “struggles with her parents and their control and pressure to be perfect.”

Also noted were Meyer’s statements about her mental health during a period of time before she enrolled at the university and this was part of the school’s argument that Meyer’s parents “breached…duty of care.”

“While elite athletes and devoted students always endure stress related to their goals, nothing caused Katie to take her life until the night she received the 5 page punitive letter threatening everything she worked so hard for and her entire future,” attorney Kim Dougherty, who represents Meyer’s parents, told USA TODAY by email.

A filing from the Meyers states, “The letter from (Office of Community Standards) was open on Katie’s computer screen at the time of her death,” but the suicide note Meyer left behind, according to a court filing from Stanford, “did not mention” the disciplinary charge “or anything related to it.”

In addressing the relevance of the mirror drive, Judge Chung wrote, “Those issues have been pushed to the forefront by the Meyers’ own allegations…and so the uncomfortable reality is that much of Katie’s private life — including her deepest, darkest thoughts — may be potentially relevant to this case.’’

Dougherty said the Meyers are ready to comply with Judge Chung’s deadline to hand over the mirror drive by the end of October.

The attorney said Tuesday that she also has been working to protect third-party rights in the release of the mirror drive.

“So if there’s friends of (Meyer’s) or boyfriends or things like that where they’re talking about their own private information, that’s the area that obviously we want to protect and ensure is protected as required under California law,” Dougherty said. “That’s what we’re negotiating on with Stanford right now. We are not seeking to hide anything as it relates to the Meyers or Katie. We have nothing to hide.”

There is no information on the setting of a trial date, according to Jessica Kellogg, communications program manager for the Superior Court of Santa Clara County. 

On Thursday night, Meyer was honored again at Stanford’s campus in the women’s soccer team’s mental health awareness match.

A year ago, Meyer’s parents attended after the university bought them flights to make the trip, but they made no plans to make an appearance this year.

“We were not contacted by Stanford about the game — however, we are heartened to see that since Katie’s tragic passing, there appear to be steps taken by the university to provide mental health and well-being resources for their students, as they are the caretakers of our young people during their lives on campus,” Gina and Steve Meyer said in a statement provided to USA Today. “We have, and always will be, fully supporting the Stanford Women’s Soccer Program and the amazing young women of that team.”

In the game against Oregon State, Stanford players continued to wear jerseys with a butterfly patch on them for Meyer, who loved butterflies, as they have all season.

They also sported t-shirts with the slogan “Katie’s Save” printed on them in honor of Meyer’s parents imitative to require colleges to provide students with the option of having a designated advocate, which they believe would have saved their daughter.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.