A student at SUNY Oneontahas diedafter being exposed to the extreme cold for several hours, according to officials.
SUNY Oneonta said Lopresti-Castro ultimatelysuccumbed to his injuriesat the hospital, per News 10 ABC.
Police said in Friday’s statement that Lopresti-Castro appeared to have been exposed to subzero temperatures for an “extended” period of time. According to News 10 ABC, officials say the victim was not properly dressed for the extreme cold.
“A search of the surrounding area indicates Lopresti-Castro may have walked off the roadway at the eastbound off-ramp for I-88 at the intersection of Route 205, climbing through the snow and crossing a drainage creek before emerging on Oneonta City property,” the department said in Friday’s statement.
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An investigation into the incident is underway. Police say there is “no indication of criminality” involved.
PEOPLE has reached out to SUNY Oneonta for comment.
Police say video reviewed from the bus garage showed Lopresti-Castro emerging “from a wooded area behind the garage” around 2:15 a.m. local time Thursday morning. The student had not been seen since midnight.
Police are now looking for help from anyone that has information about Lopresti-Castro’s whereabouts between midnight and 2:15 a.m. “to complete the timeline” of events.
The victim was last seen in a grey hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans and may have been walking around River Street Service Road, Oneida Street, or Chestnut Street during the given timeframe.
SUNY Oneonta had celebrated thefirst day of its spring semesteron Wednesday, according to the college’s social media accounts.
A spokesperson for SUNY Oneonta said in a statement to ABC News that it is “a very sad time” for the school.
“Our campus community is mourning the loss of one of our own, and we are focused on providing support to the student’s family and friends,” the statement said. “Our hearts go out to them, and we are providing whatever assistance we can to help them during this difficult time.”
Donations to the GoFundMe — started “to honor the memory” of the late SUNY Oneonta student — will first go towards sending flowers to the victim’s family. The remaining proceeds will go toward a new scholarship in Lopresti-Castro’s name.
The group added, “Forever a friend, forever family, forever best friends and always in our hearts.”
Individuals with information regarding Lopresti-Castro’s death are asked to contact the City of Oneonta Police Department or the New York State University Police at Oneonta.
source: people.com
