Police Investigating Villanova Sophomore's Death

Villanova Sophomore Business student Kinara Patel died Wednesday night or early Thursday morning in a campus dorm room, Radnor Police said Thursday.

Police received a call shortly before 10 a.m. on Thursday for the report of an unresponsive female, Lt. Andrew Block said at a press release Thursday afternoon.

“To lose someone this young is devastating,” said Liz Walsh, Associate Vice President of University Communications. “She was an important member of our community.” Patel was 18 and from Northern New Jersey. Walsh said she did not have details of her involvement on campus.

Neither school representatives nor police would say if she was found in her dorm room or if she even lived in Sullivan Hall, where she was found.

She was seen Wednesday night out in Bryn Mawr. Block said police are trying to find out where exactly she was as part of the investigation.

There was a gathering at St. Thomas of Villanova Church at 7 p.m. Thursday “to try and support one another. We’re trying to gather the community together and offer prayers and support to her family,” Walsh said.

The Delaware County Medical Examiner will do an inquest and post-mortem to determine the cause of Patel’s death, Block said.