Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Body Of College Student Who Died In His Dorm Room Wasn't Found For Almost Two Months

Body Of College Student Who Died In His Dorm Room Wasn't Found For Almost Two Months
RNZ New Zealand Public Broadcasting Service / YouTube

An anonymous student at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand passed away in their dorm room in July.

But according to New Zealand's local media, their body was not found for nearly two months.


The student was discovered on Monday night after neighboring students began to complain of an unidentified smell. The student's father had also contacted the police, concerned after not having heard from them in some time.

Because of the amount of time that had passed, the student's body was already significantly decomposed. A disaster victim identification team had to assemble and perform DNA tests, check the student's dental records and take fingerprint samples in order to identify them.

The student's name has yet to be released to the public, however.

The student's cause of death and the school's involvement are still being investigated.

Canterbury student found dead in residence, investigation urged youtu.be

How the student could go unnoticed for so long remains unclear and requires further investigation.

Cheryl de la Rey, a professor and vice-chancellor to the school, said in a statement:

"[It is] inconceivable to imagine how these circumstances could have occurred. We are devastated by what has happened and extend our deepest sympathy to the family. This is an extremely distressing time for University students and staff."

The police are currently working with the school as the investigation continues.

New Zealand's Education Minister, Chris Hopkins, also shared his concerns for what happened to the student, as well as the housing arrangements at the University.

Hopkins stated:

"If you're going into a hall of residence or a hostel, you are paying top-dollar for not just a roof over your head but also the pastoral care goes with that. And I think clearly that's not been present in this case."

One anonymous student, verified as a student at the school, came forward after this tragic incident to share some of her concerns about how the student hall is run.

The student shared how it is highly unclear who is actually in-charge in the building.

Adult staff are very rarely sighted, and the most effective method of communication is through the school's business page on Facebook. Even student residential assistants (RAs) are only seen in the building maybe once per week.

The student confided:

"We have no idea who is running this place, there is an overwhelming lack of presence from adult staff in this hall. If a student was in crisis, the hall of residence would have no idea. We could disappear for weeks and it would go unnoticed by staff here."

The student thought it was "shocking" that a fellow student could go missing for so long, but it was hardly surprising, based on how the student hall appeared to be run. She believed the school needed to be investigated.

After the news became available, many have taken to Twitter to share their condolences and concerns.



The investigation is ongoing, as some details surrounding the student's death, living situation and connections to other students remain unclear.

The student's family has asked to remain anonymous and does not wish to provide further comment while they grieve.

*****

Listen to the first season of George Takei's podcast, 'Oh Myyy Pod!' where we explore the racially charged videos that have taken the internet by storm.

Be sure to subscribe here and never miss an episode.

More from Trending

Screenshot of Stephen Colbert
CBS

Stephen Colbert Makes Somber Plea To Americans In Wake Of Charlie Kirk's Death

Late-night host Stephen Colbert had a somber message for Americans as he addressed the assassination of far-right activist Charlie Kirk, stressing that "political violence only leads to more political violence."

Kirk died after an unidentified gunman shot him in the neck as he—ironically enough—mocked victims of gun violence at an event in Utah Valley State University. Kirk's murder has galvanized the far-right, with President Donald Trump and his surrogates claiming without evidence that rhetoric from Democrats is responsible for Kirk's death.

Keep ReadingShow less
a woman sunbathing on rocks.
a person sitting on a towel on a beach
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

People Share The Weirdest Flexes They Heard Someone Say With A Straight Face

It is never attractive to gloat.

Even so, some people can't help but brag, or "flex" as it is sometimes known, about certain accomplishments or attributes.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @thedowntheredoc's TikTok video
@thedowntheredoc/TikTok

TikToker Hilariously Calls Out Target After Champion Pants Feature Awkwardly-Placed Front Pleat

Sometimes you can just tell when something was designed *for* women, but was not actually designed *by* women.

Take, for instance, the new pleated pants available at Target from the Champion clothing line. While there's nothing wrong with pleated pants and they certainly have a suitable spot in the workplace, the latest rendition of Champion pleated pants are, shall we say, NSFW.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @kaicutch's Instagram video
@kaicutch/Instagram

Woman Flips Her Car After Belting Out Ironic Britney Spears Lyric In Wild Viral Video

Whether we want to admit it or not, we've all had our fair share of carpool karaoke and maybe even imagined our car as our own personal recording studio.

But TikToker and Instagrammer Kaitlynn McCutcheon may have gotten too into her performance of Britney Spears' classic, "Hit Me Baby, One More Time," when the road and her car both said, "Bet."

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from ​@lynnshazeen's TikTok video
@lynnshazeen/TikTok

Woman Goes Viral After Revealing How Her Obsession With Matcha Landed Her In The Hospital

Let's be honest: Too much of anything isn't good for us. It's all about the balance!

But the media and social media trends have taught us that certain things are really good for us, encouraging us to be like the "very mindful and very demure" girls and take care of ourselves. One such example is drinking more matcha, especially if you really like coffee or think you have a caffeine addiction.

Keep ReadingShow less