Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Student Found Dead

7. September 2004 • Rob Goodspeed
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From the Michigan Daily:

Residents of West Quad Residence Hall and Cambridge House were left stunned and confused last night after police officers discovered a sophomore woman dead in her residence hall room.

Police said the officers responded to a request by the student’s parents to perform what is known as a welfare check, which is usually requested when contact with a student cannot be made for a prolonged period of time.

Diane Brown, Department of Public Safety spokeswoman, confirmed that DPS was investigating a “student’s sudden death” and said no signs of foul play were evident. Cause of death has not yet been released.

She was not able to release the woman’s name or room number, though police officers closed off a first-floor hallway in Cambridge House.

Officers may have performed the welfare check as early as 7 p.m. yesterday, and the woman’s body appeared to have been removed from Cambridge House around 11:45 p.m. ...



  1. The girl lived five doors down from Janelle in her hall.

    When I was moving Janelle in last night, just as we came in, we saw the DPS officer banging on her door.

    “KRISTI!!! KRISTI!!! OPEN UP!!! SECURITY!!!!” over and over and over again.

    They finally busted the door down, and when they did, the same DPS officer said “She’s out…call an ambulance!!!” and his colleague called an ambulance while the first officer went in.

    As I went out to get another load of Janelle’s stuff, I was shocked that there was a motorcycle cop pulling in within seconds. The ambulance arrived shortly after, and the atmosphere was very grim, obviously.

    Only one person in the hall seemed to know her. None of us had seen her move in, as many of the hall residents had moved in late this weekend. The rumor is that she lived in Cambridge because of the elevator and air conditioning, as she has a history of health problems. She was a sophomore, apparently, and did not live in this hall last year.

    After seeing Janelle’s mom’s reaction when she and I left as her sister moved into her freshman dorm, to see the look in the eye of a parent who is leaving their daughter, I can’t imagine the pain that this poor girl’s parents must feel.

    It’s eerie to walk down that hall and see her door, to say the least.
       —T.J.    Sep. 8 '04 - 03:46AM    #