Parents demand answers over Indian student’s death in Illinois

As parents of an Indian student of the University of Illinois found dead over the weekend, demanded answers, authorities said they would make a final determination on the cause of death on completion of toxicology studies.

The Champaign County Coroner Stephen Thuney said Wednesday an autopsy on 18-year-old Akul Dhawan was performed on Monday, local TV station WCIA reported. The autopsy did not find any evidence of significant trauma, Thuney said, but the autopsy did reveal changes in Dhawan’s skin caused by hypothermia.

Dhawan, a freshman majoring in elecrical engineering, was reported missing by his roommate at 1:23 am on Sunday, at which point the temperature was just 1 degree Fahrenheit.

The temperature had only improved marginally to 8 degrees when he was found dead at 11:08 am. The windchill temperature ranged between -20F and -14F between midnight and 10 am.

Police, according to WCIA, believe the death was an accident, but they are still investigating. Pat Wade, a spokesperson for the University of Illinois Police Department, said he could not provide further information about the investigation.

“We are devastated any time harm comes to one of our students,” he stated. “Our thoughts are with Mr. Dhawan’s family and loved ones, and we intend to do everything we can to make sure the appropriate resources are in place to support them.”

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Danita Brown Young, the university’s Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, also released a statement on Dhawan’s death:

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Akul Dhawan. We would like to extend our deepest condolences to his friends, family, and those in the Illini family who were connected to Akul.”

Staff in the Counseling Center and the Office of the Dean of Students are available to support students in their grief, she added.

Meanwhile, Dhawan’s parents are demanding answers from the university, alleging that no one came to search for their son at his last known location, Times of India reported.

“Akul’s friends who lost touch with him worried he would freeze to death since he was not wearing a coat. He called the police from the venue where they were and waited half an hour for the police to arrive. Nobody came to help look for him at his last known location. He was found dead less than half a block away from where he was last seen,” Akul’s father Ish Dhawan was quoted as saying.

“We are heartbroken by the event and requested the vice chancellor’s office about their search and rescue procedures and if they were followed in Akul’s case. The Vice-chancellor told us to file a complaint with the police. When we asked police they sent us a form to fill out but no formal complaint forms,” he added.

“We need answers to what happened to Akul and if we can help university change their policies to save life of other kids,” Dhawan wrote.

Akul’s parents also expressed concern that the university may not have proper procedures in place for frigid temperatures when students are reported missing, according to the Times.

“My fear is that they have no proper procedure for frigid temperatures in place when students are reported missing. And considering Akul had not even faced his first winter at UIUc, there might be others who might end up with similar fate” Dhawan stated.

“We are reaching out to you who as news reports can help provide oversight in case where everything is under an umbrella which provides its own oversight which failed our child,” he told the Times.