IL - Akul Dhawan, 18, university student, found dead on porch, foul play not suspected - Urbana, 20 Jan 2024

[ifindedout]

U of I student found dead on campus: Police

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — University of Illinois Police are conducting a death investigation after a student was found dead on campus Saturday morning. The student has been identified as 18-year-…

www.wcia.com

The student has been identified as 18-year-old Akul B. Dhawan. The Champaign County Coroner’s Office and University Police officials said there is no suspicion of foul play at this time and the death is considered to have been an accident.

Police officials said Dhawan’s roommate reported him missing at 1:23 a.m. on Saturday. The roommate told officers he hadn’t seen Dhawan for about an hour and could not reach him by telephone.

[...]

Officials said Dhawan was found at 11:08 a.m. and was already dead by that time. A university employee found him on the back porch of a building at Nevada Street and Goodwin Avenue.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Sincere condolences to his family.

That is a really impressive roommate, presumably realizing it was best to call police right away, just in case. Being gone in the middle of the night must have been really out of character for this young man.

I hope his family will be able to find out exactly what happened to him.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

via
An 18-year-old student from India at the University of Illinois found frozen to death had been denied entry into a nightclub that same night.

Details released by police and reported by the News Gazette indicate Akul Dhawan had been with friends at the Canopy Club but that the club denied him entry numerous times.

He is seen on security video consuming alcohol prior to going to Canopy. His friends enter the club while he stayed outside. When he tried to go in, the club denied him entry multiple times.

Twice the club called a rideshare and tried to convince him to take the ride home, but he refused.

Friends became concerned when they could not find Dhawan and reported him missing.

He was found dead not far from campus in the morning.

In an open letter written by his parents and released to police, media and elected officials, the family blames police for not thoroughly investigating their son’s disappearance and for violating search protocols.

Club denied student entry before he froze to death, say police – AsAmNews

In an open letter, the parents of Akul Dhawan wonder police did enough to find their son after a friend reported him missing.

asamnews.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

"The preliminary findings showed no evidence of significant trauma," said the coroner’s office in a news release. "There was evidence of hypothermic skin changes. The final autopsy report is pending toxicology studies."

"Preliminary information suggests that there was no foul play involved, and the death is initially believed to be accidental," per the university police news release.

UIUC Student Found Dead Near Where He Vanished on Campus: ‘We Really Need Answers,’ Says Mom

Akul B. Dhawan, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign student, was found dead on Saturday morning after he was missing in below freezing temperatures for 10 hours.

people.com

 

[ChatteringBirds]

He was found dead not far from campus in the morning.

In an open letter written by his parents and released to police, media and elected officials, the family blames police for not thoroughly investigating their son’s disappearance and for violating search protocols.

Club denied student entry before he froze to death, say police – AsAmNews

In an open letter, the parents of Akul Dhawan wonder police did enough to find their son after a friend reported him missing.

asamnews.com

His family's feelings are tragic and sad.

I do wonder:
- Were his friends also consuming alcohol? If so, why was he the only one denied entry to the club?
Perhaps this was one of the first times he consumed alcohol and he had some effects?
- Did police do a reasonable search?
- Will there be a formal review of police handling of the case from an independent party?

I do feel very much for his family. It sounds like they are still trying to understand this tragedy.

 

[ifindedout]

According to the club's website, it is 18+, though it's (unsurprisingly) 21+ to drink.

FAQ – The Canopy Club

canopyclub.com

Do I need an ID?


Yes, you must have a valid photo ID to enter the Canopy Club. This includes a license, state ID, passport, or Military ID. This is a state law.


How old do I have to be to get into the club?


You must be 18+ to enter, 21+ to drink. The club has a standard $3 surcharge for all patrons under the age of 21.