Kansas University authorities are investigating the death of an 18-year-old freshman who was found on the ground early Friday morning outside his seventh-floor room at Oliver Hall.

The student was identified as Eric J. Wellhausen, Mount Prospect, Ill. His relatives have been notified.

KU’s Public Safety Office was contacted at 2:06 a.m. Friday about the student by residence hall staff at Oliver Hall, 1815 Naismith Dr. Officers arrived two minutes later.

Lawrence/Douglas County Fire & Medical personnel arrived and continued CPR efforts that had been started at the scene. Wellhausen was transported to Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to KU authorities.

No foul play is suspected in Wellhausen’s death, according to KU’s Public Safety Office.
However, KU officials said that with any unattended death on campus, the circumstances surrounding the death are being thoroughly investigated by the KU Public Safety Office and the coroner’s investigators.

An autopsy is scheduled to be performed later this morning.

KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway issued the following statement Friday morning:

“I am deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of Eric Wellhausen. Our hearts go out to his parents, family and friends. On behalf of the entire University of Kansas community, I offer our deepest condolences.”

KU’s Counseling and Psychological Services is offering grief counseling to students.

For more on this story, see the 6News reports at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Sunflower Broadband’s channel 6 and pick up a copy of Saturday’s Journal-World.