It was an illness that caused the death of Claudio Mandia, the boy from Battipaglia (Salerno) found dead in the college where he was studying in New York on the night between last Thursday and Friday, when his 18th birthday was 24 hours away.

Uncle Pietro Benesatto said so. "In the next few days an autopsy will be carried out - he explained - and the causes of death will be clarified with precision and then the sledge will return to Battipaglia to celebrate the funeral".

"Claudio - the man complains - was not sick, he was very healthy. The doctors will have to find out what happened".

But those who investigate in the States have not dissolved their reservations and await the outcome of the autopsy to ascertain the reasons for the death of the young man. Claudio's parents, Mauro Mandia and Elisabetta Benesatto, run a food export company in Battipaglia. On Friday morning they arrived in New York where they were supposed to celebrate their son's birthday, but as soon as they landed at the airport they were informed of the tragedy, which took place a few hours earlier.

The police listened to peers staying in the college to reconstruct the incident and the student's last hours of life. The young man had moved to the States for three years now and was also planning to continue his university studies in America.

"Claudio's dream - continued his uncle - was to become a manager and specialize in economics. Then, however, every desire the other night was swept away". Right, he ruled out that his nephew was attacked or injured.

(Unioneonline / L)