New Zealand College Student Lay Dead in Dorm Room for Eight Weeks: Police

A college student in Christchurch, New Zealand, lay dead in his dorm room for eight weeks before he was found, authorities said. Police broke into the student’s dorm room Monday after University of Canterbury students complained of a smell in the hallway. The young man’s body had decomposed so much that police had to call in a special team to examine fingerprints, DNA, and dental records so they could confirm his identity, Detective Senior Sgt. Craig Johnson said. New Zealand’s education minister Chris Hipkins called for a thorough investigation into the incident Wednesday. “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.” University of Canterbury vice chancellor Cheryl de la Rey said in a statement, “it is inconceivable to imagine how these circumstances could have occurred.”