A student reportedly was dead in dorm for 8 weeks. The college, police are investigating

Police, school administration and government officials are investigating after a college student in New Zealand was found dead in his dorm room after reportedly laying there undiscovered for almost eight weeks.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins called it horrific, University of Canterbury Vice-Chancellor Cheryl de la Rey said it was "inconceivable" and Canterbury police said they were still seeking answers about what exactly happened.

Authorities have provided few details after the male student's body was discovered Monday night at the university's Sonoda dormitory in Christchurch.

New Zealand news website Stuff reported that the student's body had gone unnoticed for nearly two months and that his father had even contacted police with concerns.

The news site reported that the student was discovered only after other students reported an odor coming from his room.

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Police said Wednesday that they had examined the student's room and were still seeking information on the case. Police have not named the student nor said how he died.

A special police team had been brought in to make a formal identification of the student, authorities added.

De la Rey said in a statement that it was an extremely distressing time for the campus and that school officials would also investigate "how this situation could have occurred and what actions need to be taken."

"For us, it is inconceivable to imagine how these circumstances could have occurred," she said.

Hipkins told the Associated Press that he was concerned about the case and that his office would be looking into it, too.

"If you're going into a hall of residence or a hostel, you are paying top dollar for not just a roof over your head but also the pastoral care that goes with that," Hipkins told the news agency. "And I think clearly that’s not been present in this case."

The Associated Press reported that an Australian company, Campus Living Villages, operates the dorm. The company, which also operates dorms in the United States and United Kingdom, said it was saddened by the death but wouldn’t comment further per the family's request for privacy, the AP reported.

According to Stuff, the dorm costs nearly $16,400 for the 2019 academic year, which lasts 41 weeks. The university says the dorm houses first-year students and is fully catered.

Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow USA TODAY's Ryan Miller on Twitter: @RyanW_Miller

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: University of Canterbury student dead 8 weeks before being found