Texas A&M freshman dies after fall from third-floor dorm balcony

A freshman at Texas A&M University has died after plunging from a third-floor balcony at a student dormitory, according to campus officials.

Britney Romero, a health major and member of the graduating class of 2027, was found dead Sunday in the courtyard outside Dunn Hall on the College Station, Texas, campus.

A justice of the peace has ordered that an autopsy be performed on Romero’s body — and the Texas A&M University Police Department has launched an investigation into her death, vice president for student affairs Joe Ramirez said in a statement cited by the student newspaper the Battalion.

“Our hearts ache for Britney’s family and friends,” Ramirez wrote. “They have our deepest sympathies and support as they navigate this devastating loss.”

It was not immediately known what Romero was doing on the balcony Sunday, or whether other people witnessed her fatal fall.

Josh DeLeon, a spokesperson with the campus police, told NBC News that investigators have interviewed students who live in the dorm.

“We want to emphasize that Texas A&M’s top priority is our commitment to the well-being and safety of all our students,” Ramirez said in his letter to the college community.

“We intend to conduct a thorough and comprehensive review of what happened immediately,” he added.

Ramirez encouraged students who have been impacted by their classmate’s tragic death to talk to counselors or caseworkers who were available and standing by.