Missing BD student in Florida Bristy also dead, says brother

Dead body

Nahida Sultana Bristy, a Bangladeshi PhD student who went missing in Florida, United States, has also died, according to a claim made by her brother on social media, although authorities have yet to officially confirm her death.

“Our sister is no longer with us. Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un,” her brother Zahid Hasan Pranto said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

Bristy had gone missing in Florida along with another Bangladeshi student, Zamil Limon, whose body was recovered on Friday.

Limon’s body was recovered on Friday morning from the Howard Frankland Bridge, which spans Tampa Bay, reports AP.

An autopsy is underway to determine the cause and manner of Limon’s death.

Limon’s roommate Hisham Saleh Abugharbeih, 26, was taken into custody at his family’s home nearby on preliminary charges that include unlawfully moving a dead body, failure to report a death, tampering with evidence, false imprisonment and battery.

He was expected to make a first appearance in court Saturday morning.

A family friend contacted authorities last Friday after being unable to contact either one, USF police said.

Investigators spoke with Abugharbeih, who is a native-born U.S. citizen, on Thursday, Maurer said, but after initially talking, Abugharbeih chose to end the interview.

He said Abugharbeih was speaking with detectives again after his arrest Friday morning.

There are no other suspects in the investigation at this time, Maurer said.

Limon was studying geography, environmental science and policy, and Bristy studying chemical engineering. - UNB