A Santa Barbara City College student passed away from a suspected drug overdose at her apartment in Isla Vista on Aug. 30.

Asha Malocsay, 18, had just moved into an apartment in I.V. with three roommates to begin studying at SBCC one week prior. She was originally from Livermore, California.

At approximately 6:17 p.m. on August 30, Maloscay was found unresponsive in her apartment located in the 800 block of Camino Del Sur, according to Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Kelly Hoover.

The friend who discovered her made a 911 call and attempted CPR, but Santa Barbara County Fire personnel determined that she was deceased shortly after they arrived. She was pronounced dead at approximately 6:25 p.m.

Her cause of death is still under investigation, but officers suspect it may be due to an overdose of illegal drugs. Toxicology reports are currently being completed by the Sherrif-Coroner. If the cause of death is determined as a drug overdose, it will be the first one in I.V. this year.

Father Jon-Stephen Hedges, a longtime I.V. resident who serves as a volunteer chaplain for the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department, was asked to provide support for Malocsay’s roommates after the incident.

Due to the “sudden” nature of her death, he said, the three roommates were very distraught. Hedges said he contacted several UCSB administrators to address student safety after one roommate asked him, “what is it with this place, what is it with Isla Vista?”

“They barely knew one another,” he said. “It’s tough to get thrown into something like that, in such a sad kind of a death.”

Luz Reyes-Martin, SBCC spokesperson, said in a statement that the college wishes to express its deepest condolences to Malocsay’s family and friends.

“The College is reaching out to provide support and counseling services to her roommates and anyone else affected by her death,” she said.

A relative of Malocsay posted a tribute video in her memory on Sept. 4, describing her as “a beautiful, free spirited and open-hearted girl who was loved by many.”

Students who are in need of mental health support can contact Counseling and Psychological Services (C.A.P.S.) at caps.sa.ucsb.edu or by calling 805-893-4411.


Update: A tribute video for Malocsay has been removed from this article after a relative deleted the video from YouTube.

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