Andhra student found dead in apartment in US; family says she had severe cold, chest pain

The student had recently graduated from the Texas A&M University Corpus Christi and was seeking employment in the US.

A 23-year-old Indian student, identified as RajyaLakshmi (Raji) Yarlagadda, was found dead in her apartment in Texas, United States earlier this week.

Raji did not wake up when her alarm rang on the morning of November 7.(gofundme.com)

According to her family, Raji had been sick with severe cold and chest pain for a couple of days before her passing. The student, who hailed from Karmechedu village of Bapatla district in Andhra Pradesh, had recently graduated from the Texas A&M University Corpus Christi and was seeking employment in the US.

Her cousin, Chaitanya YVK, said that Raji did not wake up when her alarm rang on the morning of November 7. “…She came to the USA with hopes of building a better future for her family, who rely on their small farmland. She was looking for a job to begin her professional career,” Chaitanya, who has created a GoFundMe from Denton, Texas, said.

Medical examination procedures are underway to determine the cause of the student's death.

The GoFundMe is to help her family cover Raji's educational loans, funeral, expenses to bring her mortal remains back to her native village, and financial support. It has already raised $125,185 USD, more than the actual goal, with more than 3000 donations till now.

“During this difficult time, any contribution -- big or small -- will make a meaningful difference and bring comfort to the family,” the page says.

Raji was the youngest in her family, who own a farmland in their village and rely on crops and animals as their source of income.

“She was a bright, hopeful soul who dreamed of helping her parents continue their farming journey… carried a heart full of hope for the future, dreaming of helping her parents build a better tomorrow,” her cousin Chaitanya said.

In October, a 28-year-old Indian student from Hyderabad, Telangana, had been shot dead in Denton, Texas. He was killed at a gas station where he was working a part-time job.