State Medical Examiner's Office issues report in death of Luther student

The State Medical Examiners Office has ruled the death of Luther college student "Nabby" Baffour-Awuah was accidental, brought on by hypothermia.

A news release by the Decorah Police Department says the investigation into Baffour-Awuah's death showed that he had arrived at a party at 214 East Street in Decorah around 9:00 p.m. December 31st and left at about 1:00 a.m. on January 1st.  He apparently walked from the house to the Decorah Mart on College Drive, then called a cab from there at 1:35 a.m.  The taxi driver gave him a ride to the lawer campus road near Miller Hall.

However, the door to Miller Hall was locked and he did not have keys to get in.

At around 1:45 a.m. the Decorah Police Department received a 9-1-1 call from Baffour-Awuah asking for help.  But when he was asked for his location, he answered only "Luther College."  Police officers, Luther College security officers and a Winneshiek Medical Center paramedic unit search the campus and surrounding neighborhood for two and a half hours, but were unable to located him.

Then around 8:00 a.m. a passer-by found Baffour-Awuah's body near the Luther baseball field.

A subsequent search of the Luther campus determined Baffour-Awuah had descended a wooded embankment from the rear of Ylvisaker Hall to the low Regents Center parking lot.  There was only one set of tracks in the snow.

The State Medical Examiner's Office tested Baffour-Awuah's blood and found a blood alcohol level of .174, which would be twice the legal limit if he were driving.  A trace amount of marijuana was also found.  There were no other potential causes of death identified.

The State Medical Examiner's Office says the consumption of alcohol increases suceptibility to hypotermia.  Hypothermia can quickly lead to disorientation and unusual behavior in as little as 20 minutes.