News | 9:42 pm | April 2, 2010 | By Nora Caplan-Bricker and Vivian Yee

Police searching for former student

Anthony Kinuthia
Anthony Kinuthia Photo by Nora Caplan-Bricker.

Updated, April 3, 10:20 a.m. | The Yale Police are asking for help finding Anthony Kinuthia, who was a senior economics major in Branford College until he recently withdrew.

The police are in contact with Kinuthia’s family in Kenya, and are hoping to confirm his well-being and help with his visa, according to an e-mail YPD Chief James Perrotti sent to the Yale Community Friday night.

Branford College Master Steven Smith said authorities have been looking for Kinuthia since before Friday. Yale spokesman Tom Conroy said in an e-mail late Friday that Kinuthia withdrew prior to this past week for “personal issues” and has not been seen recently.

“We wish to make sure that he is okay so we’ve asked for the community’s and the public’s help in locating him,” Conroy said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Yale Police immediately at 203-432-4400.

Comments
  • Um…

    “Help with his visa?”

    This sounds like the police are trying to enlist students’ help in deporting him, not in finding him or confirming his well-being.

  • Getting worried.

    I think its time to graduate. What the hell is going on at my school!

  • Check Facebook.

    He commented on a facebook wall post yesterday (April 1) at 10.10 AM. Clearly something happened/changed between yesterday and today.

  • ’98

    This is a rather vague item. What’s the story BEHIND the story?

  • y 112

    Our thoughts and wishes are with you and your family, we hope you find your way home soon.

  • ’10

    Looks like someone didn’t get a job for after graduation and wants to stay here

  • @#1

    I agree. Is this kid MISSING missing, or is he just dodging deportation?

  • VisaIsEverythingUWantIt2B

    If he is no longer a student, and if he has a student visa, then shouldn’t his visa be cancelled?

    What’s the real story here? Psychiatric problems? Social problems? Who is he?

    Why does Yale cover up?

  • Olivia

    I hope his friends and those who wish him well are able to locate him. His Facebook profile is still up and running, though. Have people tried that yet?

  • Jack

    @Um:
    I think you need to re-read the note. It says his family is anxious to confirm his well-being and help with his visa not the police. It only says the police are in contact with his family in Kenya who are…etc. If Mr. Kinuthia was here on a student (F-1) visa then his withdrawal from the college would require that he depart the country unless he receives some other type of entry/stay permit.

    I must agree with ’98 in asking what facts are missing from this story because a senior withdrawing this close to graduation seems strange.

  • Veritas

    Upon withdrawing, his visa was probably invalidated. They probably suspect that that’s why he disappeared. The offer for visa assistance was from Yale University, not the police. The campuswide e-mail made this clearer.

  • L K Tucker

    Someone should determine if he did have depression, panic attacks, and thoughts of suicide.

    There are many of these disappearances usually they are high achievers who vanish during a time of intense study or after a large project.

    Subliminal Distraction exposure is the probable cause.

  • kenyan yalie

    on an F1 student visa, one has 60 days to depart from the US once no longer in student status therefore he’s still legal for now…
    also, as someone who knows him personally, he had a job offer, and was accepted to grad school