A first-year Penn Law School student died suddenly on Jan. 16 in his residence at Sansom Place East, according to an email sent to the Penn Law community from Penn Law Dean Theodore Ruger and Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum.
Jonathan Lumpkin, 25, was returning from a leave of absence, the email read, and had begun his studies in 2015. He was from Baton Rouge, La.
On Jan. 24, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Lumpkin died in an accidental drug overdose. The Medical Examiner's Office did not disclose the drugs that were involved in Lumpkin's death.
Lumpkin was the second Penn student to die in 2018, and the tenth to have died since the beginning of 2017. His death comes two weeks after the disappearance of College sophomore Blaze Bernstein, who was later found to have died in a homicide on Jan. 2.
Before coming to Penn, Lumpkin received a B.A. in history, political science, and philosophy at the University of New Orleans and graduated summa cum laude. He also worked at various law firms before enrolling in law school, and, according to his mother, had dreams of one day becoming a lawyer, the email read.
A support session for the Penn Law community will be held on Jan. 17 at noon at the Law School in S-147, the email read.
The HELP Line: 215-898-HELP
Counseling and Psychological Services: 215-898-7021 (is active 24/7)
University Chaplain’s Office: 215-898-8456
Student Health Service: 215-746-3535
Office of the Vice Provost for University Life: 215-898-6081
Reach-A-Peer Helpline: 215-573-2727 (helpline available every night from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.) | 215-515-7332 (texting service available 24/7) | Letter-writing service
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