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UPDATE: OU Student Was Drinking Before She Died

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Update Friday 10:43 a.m.

The Athens County Coroner says an Ohio University student was reportedly drinking before she died.

Dr. Harold C. Thompson says a preliminary autopsy report found the cause of Yaara Mashmoor's death as "undetermined."

The 21-year-old Junior psychology major from Pepper Pike was found unresponsive by her boyfriend around 3 a.m. Thursday at 146 Grosvenor Street in Athens.

Thompson says he'll now wait for tissue samples and toxicology test results to determine a cause of death.

Toxicology tests examine blood, urine and hair for the presence of alcohol or drugs.     

"There was some reported drinking, so that's a possibility," says Thompson.

It can can take six to eight weeks for those tests to come back.

Thompson says the tests on tissue will help him see if Mashmoor had a medical condition that may have contributed to her death.

He says there were no external wounds on Mashmoor's body.

Police say, although they won't rule anything out, foul play is not suspected in the death.


 

Update Friday 4:36 a.m.

The Athens County coroner says he should have preliminary autopsy information available for an Ohio University student who died yesterday morning.

Junior psychology major Yaara Mashmoor, 21, of Pepper Pike was found around 3 a.m. at 146 Grosvenor Street.

Police say they haven't figured out a clear cause of the death yet.

Athens County Coroner Harold C. Thompson says he started the autopsy yesterday.  But, results won't be available until this afternoon.

Toxicology tests will also be done, but Thompson says results won't be available for six to eight weeks.

Police say Mashmoor was found unresponsive by a friend.

Foul play is not suspected in the death, but police say they will not rule anything out.


 

Update 4:30 p.m. Athens Police responded to a call at 146 Grosvenor Street around 3 a.m. for Yaara Mashmoor. Athens Police department Captain Ralph Harvey says a friend found the junior psychology major unresponsive. Junior Erik Schmitz lives next door to Mashmoor.  

 
"I woke up.  I thought I heard a noise or something like someone knocking on my door or something like that.  So I immediately woke up and saw there was a cop car sitting in the street area out here, lights flashing and everything.  So I went out on my porch and just tried to see what was going on.  It's not often we get cop cars on the street," said Schmitz.
 
Schmitz says he wasn't initially concerned when he saw his neighbor being taken away in an ambulance. "And I saw they took her out.  I didn't know anything was wrong at the time.  I figured, you know, maybe she just passed out," said Schmitz.
 
Mashmoor was pronounced dead at O'Bleness Memorial Hospital a short time later. No cause of death has been determined yet, but police say they aren't concerned about the public being in danger. "There's no public safety concern at this point, but we're not discounting any possibilities.  Right now it doesn't appear that there's anything, any foul play, but we're not discounting that as a possibility," said Harvey.
 
Even though he didn't know Mashmoor very well, Schmitz says this entire event has made him stop and think. "I mean, you're reminded of your own mortality really.  I mean, as a college student, we all think we're, you know, cliche, we're all invincible…not in this case."
 
An autopsy was performed on Mashmoor today – the results should be available tomorrow.  Toxicology tests will also be done, but those results won't be in for six to eight weeks.  

Update 12:45 p.m.

Foul play is not suspected in the death of an Ohio University student.

Athens Police Chief Tom Pyle says, "We're not ruling anything out, but we don't believe there is a public safety threat."

Junior psychology major Yaara Mashmoor, 21, of Pepper Pike was found around 3 a.m. at 146 Grosvenor Street.

Police say they haven't figured out a clear cause of the death yet.

Athens County Coroner Harold C. Thompson says he will be conducting an autopsy on her today.  But, results won't be available until tomorrow.

Toxicology tests will also be done, but Thompson says results won't be available for six to eight weeks.


 

Update: 11:10 a.m.

Athens Police have released the name of an Ohio University student who was found dead early this morning.

Junior psychology major Yaara Mashmoor, 21, of Pepper Pike was found around 3 a.m. at 146 Grosvenor Street.

Police say they haven't figured out a clear cause of the death yet.

Dean of Students Ryan Lombardi says, "I was saddened to learn of Yaara's passing this morning.  On behalf of Ohio University, I extend our deepest condolences to her family and friends.  I know the fond memories we have of her will help us all through this difficult time."

Police Chief Tom Pyle says, "We have a 21-year-old female deceased.  That's unusual and we need to find out why that happened."


 

An Ohio University student is dead and Athens Police are trying to figure out what happened.

According to a news release, police were called to house on Grosvenor Street around 3 a.m.

When they arrived they found a unresponsive female – who was taken to O'Bleness Memorial Hospital where she was pronouced dead.  

Police Chief Tom Pyle says the student was 21-years-old. 

He would not say if foul play is suspected in the death.

"We have a 21-year-old female deceased.  That's unusual and we need to find out why that happened," says Pyle.

The name is being withheld until the student's family can be notified.