A 21-year-old student at Asbury University in Kentucky, Isabella Willingham, was found unresponsive in her dorm room with severe injuries, leading to a prolonged investigation that has left her family demanding answers. Willingham was discovered with deep cuts and bruises, and paramedics reported that she had not been breathing for 23 minutes.
The incident occurred on November 27, after Willingham returned to campus following the Thanksgiving break. Her parents were alerted by a distressing phone call from the dorm resident director, informing them that their daughter had been found by her roommate and was en route to the hospital in an ambulance.
Willingham’s injuries were severe, including deep gashes and swollen legs. She also noticed that her acrylic nails had been torn off when she regained consciousness in the hospital. She spent two weeks recuperating at the University of Kentucky Hospital.
The Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the extent of Willingham’s injuries and initiated an investigation into the incident. However, her father, Andy Willingham, expressed dissatisfaction with both the local police department and the university’s response. He disputed the police’s suggestion that his daughter’s injuries could have resulted from a fall from her bunk bed, insisting that they were inflicted by another person.
Andy Willingham also criticized the university for not taking the incident seriously and for delaying the notification of other students about a potential threat on campus. He claimed that the university did not encourage anyone to provide information about the incident, and that an email requesting tips was only sent to the female students in his daughter’s dorm.
Despite the passage of several months since the incident, the Willingham family is still seeking answers. Andy Willingham expressed his frustration with the university’s response, stating that he was told they had done everything they could.
Asbury University, which has a student population of around 1,900 with about 90% of undergraduates living on campus, is located approximately 15 miles from the University of Kentucky in Lexington. The university released a statement saying the investigation is ongoing and that it is working with law enforcement to determine what happened to Willingham. The university also emphasized its commitment to the safety and well-being of its students, faculty, and staff.