Akul Dhawan, freshman in Engineering, died last month on West Nevada Street. His official cause of death was not released to the public, although the preliminary reports mentioned evidence of hypothermia.

Stephen Thuney, Champaign county coroner, released an official cause of death on Tuesday.  The press release noted that the coroner officially ruled the death accidental.

“An autopsy was performed on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, that confirmed the death of Mr. Dhawan was due to hypothermia. Acute alcohol intoxication and prolonged exposure to extremely cold temperatures, significantly contributed to his death,” the press release stated.

Community members held a vigil in Dhawan’s honor on Feb. 11, where Dhawan’s parents were also present.

In a letter published in the News-Gazette, Dhawan’s parents shared that they are devastated by the news.

“We have a big massive hole left in our family; we will never be the same,” they wrote in the letter.

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