Body of missing 20-year-old Kenyan student found floating in the Mississippi River, police believe she committed suicide
The body of a 20-year-old lady, Gift Kamanu, who had been missing since March 30 was discovered floating in the Mississippi River by barge workers Saturday, May 13.
According to Madison Police Chief Chris Burns, his department had the missing person case because Kamau’s car had been found March 30 in Madison.
St. Louis police notified Burns Saturday that they had found a body matching the description of Kamau, who had been reported missing by her parents. The body was recovered about 12:15 a.m. near the foot of Gasconade Street by the St. Louis Fire Department.
The St. Louis Medical Examiner’s Office was able to identify her body through dental records, Burns said.
Police believe she committed suicide. Burns said a suicide note was found. Footage from a surveillance camera showed her walking across the Chain of Rocks Bridge around midday on March 30, and tracking dogs had lost her trail at the bridge. She left behind her cellphone, bank cards and cash. Land and water searches were fruitless.
Friends and family had believed she was attending St. Louis University and that she had left that morning to go to class, but the school said she last attended in December 2015. Burns said he believed there had been an issue with her grades, but that she had not told her parents that she was no longer attending the school.
Saint Louis University described Kamau as a 'former' student in the tribute posted on their Facebook page on May 17.
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