Police rule out foul play in death of Penn State student who fell down trash chute at a State College apartment
State College police ruled out foul play in the November death of the Penn State student who plunged 11 stories down a trash chute at her off-campus apartment, the department wrote in a statement Thursday.
Neither the borough police department nor the Centre County Coroner’s Office gathered any evidence that Justine Gross’ death was “criminal in nature.”
The sophomore died of blunt force trauma. Her death was ruled accidental. Autopsy results showed THC — the compound that gives pot its high — and an “elevated” level of alcohol in Gross’ liver tissue at the time of her death, police wrote.
The autopsy, Gross’ mother told NJ.com, did not include a rape kit to check for evidence of sexual misconduct.
Police ended their investigation into Gross’ death, absent any new information or evidence.
The 19-year-old from New Jersey fell after smoking marijuana with a man inside his seventh-floor apartment at Beaver Terrace, Gross’ mother told the publication.
Surveillance video showed Gross leaving the apartment after about 40 minutes, walking unsteadily. She ran to the 11th floor, into the room with the trash chute and was not seen again. Her cellphone and flip-flops were found in a stairwell.
Gross was alone in the hallway in the moments before her fall, police said. Francoise Gross has rejected that, saying she believes someone was chasing her daughter.
Justine’s body was found in College Township about 27 hours after her fall. No charges were filed.
This story was originally published February 17, 2022 at 5:01 PM.