Student Lay Dead in Dorm Room for Nearly 2 Months Before Being Discovered

New Zealand officials are demanding an investigation into the death of a university student whose body lay in his dorm room for nearly two months before being found. 

Few details have been released about the unnamed student, including a cause of death. Education Minister Chris Hipkins told The Associated Press that no one should go unnoticed at a college campus for nearly eight weeks and said the discovery was devastating for the student's family.

"If you're going into a hall of residence or a hostel, you are paying top dollar for not just a roof over your head but also the pastoral care that goes with that," Hipkins said. "And I think clearly that's not been present in this case."

The minister said he will review residence hall rules to make sure they protect students and monitor their well-being.

"Clearly, I'm really concerned about this case," he said.

Cheryl de la Rey, the vice chancellor of the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, said it was "inconceivable to imagine how these circumstances could have occurred." The college will commission an independent investigation of the incident, she said.

The grim discovery occurred Monday night, after students complained of a foul odor in the dorm. 

RELATED STORIES