UPDATE: Coroner Identifies NIU Student Who Died in Fall From Residence Hall

Photo credit: Stevenson Towers/Northern Illinois University website

The NIU student who died after falling from the 11th floor of a residence hall Saturday has been identified as Oluwarotimi Okedina, 19, DeKalb County Coroner Dennis Miller said Monday.

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday and a routine toxicology report is expected back in a couple weeks, Miller said. Okedina fell from the 11th floor of Stevenson Towers after removing a screen from a window in his dorm room, Northern Illinois Public Radio reports.

Authorities were called to the scene at 10:30 p.m. Saturday and Okedina was transferred by ambulance to Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb, Miller said. His time of death is recorded as 10:05 p.m.

A LinkedIn profile and Okedina’s NIU profile lists Okedina’s hometown as Des Plaines. Miller said Okedina’s father currently lives in Volo. Okedina attended Maine East High School where he played on the soccer team. He began attending NIU in 2014. He was pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management and was expecting to graduate in 2018.

“I and the entire university community are deeply saddened by this tragic news,” Eric Weldy, Vice President, Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, wrote in a Campus Update, which was posted on the NIU Radio website. “Our collective hearts and prayers are with the student’s family and friends during this difficult time.”

The death is being investigated by NIU police and the coroner’s office. NIU is offering counseling services to students and staff following the tragic incident.

“To support our community, the university’s Counseling and Consultation Services staff has been meeting with students and staff throughout the day, and the staff is available to any other members of the university family who may be in need of their services,” Weldy wrote in the Campus Update.

Counseling and consultation services are located in the Campus Life Building 200 and the office can be reached by phone at 815-753-1206. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Stevenson Towers is located on the western edge of the NIU campus in DeKalb and consists of four 12-story towers.

Patch will update with more information as it becomes available.

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