ATHENS, GA – A student from the Augusta University College of Nursing was reportedly found deceased in a wooded area within the vicinity of the University of Georgia’s Athens campus on Thursday, sparking suspicion of foul play. Officers located the woman, who remained unidentified after a friend reported her missing when she didn’t return from her morning run at the intramural fields.
Tragedy in the school district was announced in an official statement late Thursday, accompanying news of class cancellations for the following day stating, “It is with deep sorrow that we share with you the news that one of our students at our College of Nursing campus at Athens (CONAT) has passed away.”
When found, the woman lacked any signs of consciousness or breath, and despite attempts at providing medical aid, she was pronounced dead at the scene, indicative of “visible injuries.” The specific nature of her injuries and the official cause of death remain undisclosed.
In the overnight press briefing on Thursday, University of Georgia Police Department Chief Jeffrey Clark stated, “We’re not gonna leave any rock unturned on this investigation. We will follow all leads.” He added there was no immediate danger to the community and urged university students and staff to avoid the campus area where the victim was found.
Investigators from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Athens-Clarke County Police Department are contributing to the ongoing investigation, even as the hunt for the suspect continues.
This incident follows the “sudden death” of another student in the campus’ Brumby Hall the previous night. With no discernable connection between the two incidents, Clark categorically denied any relation between them, further adding that a homicide on the campus was a rare occurrence with none reported in the past two decades.
Classes were canceled on Thursday evening and Friday, only to resume on Monday, as the university mourns the loss, dubbing the past 24 hours as a “traumatic time.”