A student from the University of Michigan has been found dead nearly 24 hours after going missing in freezing conditions.
The last time Lucas Mattson was seen alive, he was leaving a fraternity party around 1 a.m. on Friday, January 23. He was said to be wearing only a T-shirt and jeans and no coat despite the temperatures dropping to as low as 0 degrees at the time, according to the University of Michigan’s Division of Public Safety and Security.
After hours of searching for the engineering student, 19, amid “extreme cold conditions,” police confirmed his body had been found on Saturday, January 24. There were no signs of foul play, but his cause of death is yet to be determined by the Washtenaw County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Following the tragic announcement, the president of the University of Michigan, Domenico Grasso, released a statement extending his “deepest condolences to Lucas’s family, friends, and all who loved him” while spreading awareness of the ongoing investigation.
“Sadly, a community of our size regularly experiences student deaths during each academic year, and their lives are collectively celebrated at an annual memorial service,” he wrote. “The University does not typically issue public announcements about student deaths, for many reasons, but most commonly out of respect for the family’s wishes. However, Lucas’s disappearance and the public concern for his safety make this situation different.”
“In moments like these, misinformation and speculation can spread quickly,” Grasso continued, noting that the Ann Arbor Police Department was still investigating the incident. “At this time, we can share that prior to disappearing, Lucas was attending a party at a fraternity house as a guest; he was neither a member nor a pledge. We must let the investigators complete their work and refrain from speculation until the facts are known.”
In conclusion, Grasso said he was “grateful for the outpouring of support” from so many people, including those who searched for him in the inclement weather.
“As we mourn Lucas, let’s re-commit to taking care of ourselves and each other,” the letter read. “We are a stronger community when we unite to support our students, friends, and colleagues. We can honor Lucas’s memory by demonstrating the compassion that defines the University of Michigan.”
In a GoFundMe launched by Mattson’s aunt, she described him as a “special young man” who would be “so deeply missed.”
“Our family is devastated by the loss of Lucas,” the summary read.
Donations will go to funeral and memorial costs, as well as any necessary out-of-state travel and lodging expenses for Mattson’s family, who currently live in Alaska, to “help lessen the burden on Lucas’s mom Lisa and help her to focus on transition and healing.”
The fundraiser goal was only $15,000, but earned more than $72,000 in donations at the time of publication.
While it is currently unclear why Mattson chose to leave the party alone without a winter coat, following his death, fellow students and others who knew him suggested a “buddy system” should be implemented in dangerous weather conditions to avoid such a tragedy happening again, according to Erika Erickson, a reporter for Detroit news station WDIV.
“I feel like somebody should have found him, like, before he passed away,” Genesis Padilla, a Michigan student, said at the time. “I think the buddy system should’ve definitely been used. I know when I go out, me and my roommate always go out together, and I think in that case, I think that would have been better than being found alone.”
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