A Rutgers University student died Sunday after she "became distressed" while attending a small gathering at a fraternity house, prosecutors said.
A preliminary investigation determined that the death of 19-year-old Caitlyn Kovacs may be alcohol-related, but the medical examiner will confirm how she died, according to Middlesex County prosecutors.
Kovacs, a South Brunswick resident, was a sophomore at the university's School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and was majoring in animal sciences, university President Bob Barchi said in a statement.
"Her passing over the weekend is a tragic loss to her family, her friends, and the entire Rutgers community," Barchi said.
Prosecutors said Kovacs was at the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity house in New Brunswick when she appeared to be in distress at around 3 a.m. Sunday. Some friends took her to the hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Hospital officials notified police about the death, which is under investigation by the prosecutor's office and the Rutgers and New Brunswick police departments.
“We’re pretty torn up over here. It’s very raw," said Ian McGeown, president of the Delta Kappa Epsilon chapter at the university. "Our thoughts and prayers are with her family.”
