Richmond police said Sunday they are investigating the death of a Virginia Commonwealth University student in off-campus housing over the weekend. Adam Oakes, 19, is found not responding by officers who were called to the residence around 9:15 a.m. Saturday. According to a police statement, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Oakes’ family told CBS affiliate WTVR-TV that he had just received a bid to join the Delta Chi fraternity. The family said there was a lot of booze involved in the death and that Oakes was blindfolded at one point.
“I’m sorry, he just could not. I do not think he could handle it,” said Courtney White, Oakes’ cousin. He eventually fell into a tree and hit his head against a tree. We do not know if he was dead or unconscious. We do not know how he ended up on the bench. ‘
The VCU police also assisted with the investigation. The medical examiner will determine how Oakes died, Richmond police said.
“This is a tragic loss for Adam’s family and members of our community,” VCU said said in a statement on Sunday.
In the same statement on social media, VCU said Delta Chi fraternity has been suspended. The national office of the fraternity also announced that the VCU chapter has been suspended, media reported.
A school spokesman declined to comment on whether Oakes, who is from Loudoun County, was a member of the fraternity. Alec Cardullo-Munoz, identified by WRIC-TV as Oakes’ roommate, said Oakes had received a bid from the fraternity.
“He was such a good kid,” Oakes’ father Eric Oakes told WTVR. “He just wanted to be accepted and he wanted to be friends with people.”
A GoFundMe was set up to help the family with funeral expenses.