PSU Student's Death Ruled Accidental

Charges not ruled out if criminal activity uncovered: Police

The death of a student that rattled the Penn State community was ruled an accident Tuesday but that doesn’t mean that criminal activity was ruled out.

Joseph Dado, 18, of Latrobe, Pa. died of head trauma, Centre County Coroner Scott Sayers ruled after an autopsy Tuesday.

But police were investigating whether alcohol was involved in Dado’s death.

The freshman’s body was found by maintenance workers at the bottom of a concrete stairwell of a campus building Monday evening about 39 hours after he went missing. Police suspected that Dado fell about 15 feet from a retaining wall next to the stairwell.

He was last seen about 75 yards away, leaving the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house around 3 a.m. Sunday.

A toxicology test will be performed on the body soon, but results will not be known for several weeks, university spokeswoman Lisa Powers said Tuesday.

Police were continuing their investigation, including whether someone provided Dado with alcohol or illegal substances, and whether alcohol was given to him while he was at the fraternity, the school said in a statement.

While not a criminal investigation, charges could be filed if criminal activity was uncovered, Powers said.

There was no timeline to determine whether any charges would be appropriate, University Police Chief Steve Shelow said in an email Tuesday night.

But for now the University grieved about the loss of a promising young student.

“There’s a real sense of sadness that you can find all over campus today,” university spokesman Bill Mahon said to the Centre Daily Times Tuesday. “People who knew this young man and many more that did not who feel terrible about what’s occurred here. It has had a big impact on the student body.”

Students also turned to social networks like Facebook to remember the teenager. The common post contained a simple statement -- RIP Joe.

There was also a greater message to be shared. The tragedy reminded the university community of its commitment to safety and each other, Penn State President Graham Spanier said in a statement.

“Each of us must be responsible for ourselves, but we all must be responsible for one another, too. In this time of deep personal loss and pain for our community, but especially for Joe's family and friends, who are foremost in our minds, let us remember the meaning of our community.” Spanier said.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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