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A 17-year-old student at a prestigious academy in New York has died by suicide, authorities said.
The incident took place in Westchester County around 9:30 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 17 at the EF Academy in Thornwood, according to Chief Paul J. Oliva, of the Mount Pleasant Police.
Police were notified of a suicidal person by a 911 call from the academy, Oliva said.
The first responding officers were directed by school staff to a dormitory room attached to the main building. Upon entry to the room, the officers discovered a deceased 17-year-old male student. The method of death appeared to be from hanging, police said in a release.
The student, identified as Claudio Mandia, is from Salerno, Italy, the chief said.
Following the discovery, an investigation by the Mount Pleasant Police detective division processed the scene and the Westchester Medical Examiner's officer was notified.
Mandia’s parents were arriving in the United States from Italy on the same day and were met at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York by officers and a representative from the EF Academy to inform them of their son’s death, Oliva said.
An autopsy was performed by the Westchester County Medical Examiner’s Office and the preliminary results are expected in the next few days, he added.
According to the Daily Beast, Mandia had been studying as a boarding student finishing an international baccalaureate degree.
The report said Mandia planned to follow in the footsteps of his entrepreneur father, who owns a successful frozen Italian pizza export firm called Fiad.
He was set to graduate in May.
In a statement written in Italian to the Daily Beast, the family claimed the academy had placed Mandia in isolation as a “punishment” for alleged cheating.
His uncle said that his nephew’s desperation seemed like “a sudden illness” that was driven by stress from the alleged punishment of self-isolation, the Daily Beast reported.
A spokesperson for the school said they are deeply saddened by his tragic passing.
"Our thoughts are with his family and friends here in New York and back home in Italy," said Jill Reilly, the vice president of the academy. "The safety of our school community is always our top priority. We have very strong policies and procedures in place regarding the health and well-being of young people who are away from their home countries."
Reilly said the school is in close contact with the local authorities who are investigating the circumstances of his death.
"We are heartbroken and have offered to provide whatever support Claudio’s family may require, while also mobilizing counselors and additional support for our broader school community," she added.
This is a developing story. Check back to the Daily Voice for updates.
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