Ciaya Jordan Whetstone mystery death: UNO student dropped off dead in Uber at hospital. Cause of death unknown as authorities investigate.
Questions are surrounding the mysterious death of a 21 year old New Orleans college student who was allegedly dropped off at a local hospital after taking an Uber home amid Mardi Gras celebrations. Inexplicably the 21 year old was confirmed dead soon after.
Ciaya Jordan Whetstone, of Bamberg, South Carolina was out partying with friends Friday night, having gone to some bars when she turned to make her way home.
According to the New Orleans Advocate a friend drove the 21 year old University of New Orleans student to her boyfriend’s home, before Whetstone hailing an Uber to her apartment in the middle of the night, saying she wanted to check in on her dog.
However, as soon as Whetstone got to her apartment, she was out the door again, with friends saying the driver waited outside for her.
Her roommate, Reese White, said that Whetstone told her she was going with the driver — whom she described as a friend — to ‘go find her car.’
‘Do you like to party?’
‘I tried to convince her not to go,’ White told the Advocate after saying her roommate appeared to be intoxicated.
Another friend, Roberto Torres, said that when he called Whetstone around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, he overheard the driver ask her, ‘Do you like to party?’
She reportedly told Torres that she’d call him back — but never did.
After having not heard from her, Torres called Whetstone numerous times, only for her to never pick up.
Whetstone was dropped off about 7 a.m. at a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. It remained unclear who dropped her off there.
Police said she arrived via ‘private conveyance,’ a term used in cases where an ambulance isn’t involved.
No cause for her death has been released. The Orleans Parish County coroner said her death is considered unclassified and still under investigation WIS-TV reported.
Mystery cause of death
Chris Ferrand, Whetstone’s stepfather, told the Advocate that the family is ‘still in such a shock,’ adding, ‘We’ve got a tough few days ahead of us.’
University officials in a release said Whetstone was a business administration junior who was set to graduate in 2023.
‘As a University, few things are more challenging than dealing with the sadness of the death of a student. Our thoughts are with Ciaya’s family and friends,’ school president John Nicklow said in a statement, according to WVUE.
‘We are offering counseling services to students and employees who need support,’ he added.
The much adored student’s abrupt death has led to fellow students asking how Whetstone may have died, the sudden spike in crime and the concerns of safety for women.
‘We don’t really know much of anything; I just want to know what happened to my best friend. That’s all any of us want. We just want answers,’ Whetstone’s female cousin reflected.
Uber said they’ve removed the driver’s access to the platform and are working with investigators. However, they did not provide a name for the driver as authorities continue to investigate.
