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Medical examiner: ISU student found in sorority parking lot died of 'acute alcohol intoxication and hypothermia'

21-year-old Olivia Chutich was found unconscious on Friday, Jan. 22.

AMES, Iowa — A a female Iowa State University student found in a sorority parking lot in late January died of acute alcohol intoxication and hypothermia, according to the State Medical Examiner's Office.

21-year-old Olivia Chutich's death was rule accidental by the medical examiner, Ames police announced Tuesday.

Chutich was found unconscious in the parking lot of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority house just before 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 22. She was a member of the sorority. 

When police officers arrived, they found Chutich dead on the ground. They processed the scene and interviewed several people. According to police, there was no evidence of foul play.

Around the time Olivia Chutich was found, the National Weather Service recorded a temperature of 11°. Overnight, the NWS recorded temps as low as 8°.

Chutich is the daughter of Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Margaret Chutich and Allina Health CEO Dr. Penny Wheeler.

“It is with great sadness that we confirm that Olivia Chutich, our beloved daughter, died in Ames, Iowa," her family said in a statement. "Olivia was the light of our lives. We ask for privacy as we grieve this unimaginable loss. Thank you.” 

Chutich was a former Miss Teen USA contestant, played high school basketball and was active in theater and musical productions at Breck School in Minneapolis. 

She graduated from high school in 2017. 

A junior at Iowa State, Olivia Chutich studied communications studies. 

Anyone with information regarding her death is asked to call the Ames Police Department at 515-239-5133 or the anonymous tip line at 515-239-5533. 

You can also contact Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa at 515-223-1400. Online anonymous tips may be submitted to www.crimestoppersofcentraliowa.com.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available. Download the We Are Iowa app or subscribe to Local 5's "5 Things to Know" email newsletter for the latest news.

Watch: Full interview with Ames PD after ISU student's body found outside sorority house (Jan. 22)

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