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A 21-year-old New Orleans college student was pronounced deceased after she was dropped off at a hospital on Saturday morning following a night out with friends that reportedly ended with her calling an Uber.
Ciaya Jordan Whetstone was transported to the hospital shortly before 7:00 a.m. by "private conveyance," according to police, which means she was not taken in an ambulance.
Emergency medical personnel pronounced her deceased soon after she arrived.
Ciaya Jordan Whetstone was pronounced deceased at a hospital shortly before 7 a.m. on Saturday morning. (Facebook / Ciaya Jordan)
Friends wrote on Facebook and told the New Orleans Advocate that Whetstone had called an Uber in the early hours of Saturday morning after the night out.
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It's unclear if it was an Uber driver that dropped her off at the hospital, but the company said it launched an investigation and deactivated the account of the driver who picked her up.
"Our thoughts are with Ciaya Whetstone’s family as they grieve the loss of their daughter," a spokesperson for Uber told Fox News Digital. "We stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation."
Whetstone was studying business at New Orleans University. (Facebook / Ciaya Jordan)
Whetstone originally went out on Friday night for Mardi Gras festivities, spectating parades and going to a bar with friends, Juliett Orr told the New Orleans Advocate.
Later in the evening, a friend took her to her boyfriend's house, but Whetstone called an Uber in the middle of the night to go check on her dog, Orr told the local news outlet.
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Another friend, Roberto Torres, told the New Orleans Advocate that he called Whetstone around 1:30 a.m. after she checked on her dog and got back into the Uber, and overheard the driver ask, "Do you like to party?"
A spokesperson for the New Orleans Police Department said they are investigating it as an "unclassified death."
Whetstone's stepfather, Chris Ferrand, said that he is waiting for the coroner to determine her cause of death and for police to investigate before commenting.
"Right now my concern is getting Ciaya home so we can lay our angel to rest," Ferrand told Fox News Digital.
Whetstone reportedly called an Uber after a night out with friends during Mardi Gras. (Facebook / Ciaya Jordan)
Whetstone, originally from Bamberg, South Carolina, was a junior at the University of New Orleans majoring in business.
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"As a University, few things are more challenging than dealing with the sadness of the death of a student," college president Dr. John Nicklow said in a statement.
"Our thoughts are with Ciaya’s family and friends. We are offering counseling services to students and employees who need support."
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