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Stressed University of Kent student Oghosa Ogbeide-Ihama died of sudden heart attack in Canterbury

06:02, 03 July 2019

updated: 16:23, 03 July 2019

The family of a stressed university student who died of a sudden heart attack have been urged to undergo medical checks.

Oghosa Ogbeide-Ihama, 19, died unexpectedly in his student accommodation at the University of Kent in Canterbury.

Said to be "all over the place and stressed" with his work, the teenager was found dead on March 7 after a security guard forced entry into his room.

Mr Ogbeide-Ihama was a law student at the University of Kent
Mr Ogbeide-Ihama was a law student at the University of Kent

An inquest into Mr Ogbeide-Ihama's death concluded last Wednesday at Canterbury Coroner's Court.

The law student did not have any known health issues.

A statement from his mother read out to the court detailed how Mr Ogbeide-Ihama was "getting really interested in his course" and "couldn't wait to learn more about it".

However, his friends had noticed he had been missing from lectures for two weeks and the 19-year-old had revealed he was having a "rough week".

Six days before his body was found, the London-born teenager went out partying with friends at The Venue nightclub on the university campus.

He was believed to be in relaxed spirits and was spotted on CCTV heading back to his room in the early hours.

Canterbury Coroner's Court
Canterbury Coroner's Court

It was last time he was seen and it is not thought he left his room any time after.

Concern over Mr Ogbeide-Ihama was raised on the evening of March 7 when his phone could be heard ringing without answer inside his room.

Friends alerted a security guard who then gained entry to the room and found the body half under covers on a bed.

Findings by Professor Mary Sheppard, a cardiac pathologist from the University of London, concluded the death to be sudden - with Mr Ogbeide-Ihama having a seemingly normal functioning heart.

'This death is tragic and in unusual circumstances' - Assistant coroner James Dillon

In light of his death, she urged immediate family to be screened in case the sudden heart problems are hereditary.

Assistant coroner James Dillon concluded the death to be of natural causes from sudden arrhythmic death syndrome.

"This death is tragic and in very unusual circumstances.

"I hope Oghosa's family take the tests."

For more information on how we can report on inquests, click here.

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