Investigation into Texas A&M Student’s Death Raises Questions

A former federal prosecutor is urging the Austin police to take a more in-depth look into the death of Brianna Aguilera, a 19-year-old Texas A&M University student found dead after a football game.

Aguilera was discovered at 12:47 a.m. on Saturday at the 21 Rio Apartments in Austin, following the Texas A&M vs. University of Texas game. Although the Austin police have ruled out homicide and do not suspect foul play, her mother, Stephanie Rodriguez, believes her daughter was murdered.

Aguilera fell from a 17th-floor balcony. While detectives suggested her death could be an accident or suicide, Rodriguez is skeptical. “This wasn’t just a coincidence. Someone killed my little Bree and gave her friends time to concoct a story,” she explained. “My daughter would never jump from that height; calling this a suicide is absurd.”

Rodriguez noted that prior to Aguilera’s death, there had been a confrontation between her daughter and another girl who lived in the same apartment complex. “I was texting about it, but the detective didn’t seem to care,” she claimed.

That night, Rodriguez mentioned her daughter had been drinking, and she grew concerned when she noticed Aguilera’s phone was set to “Do Not Disturb.” “It was odd; we always had a rule for her to let me know she was okay when she went out. After 6 p.m., she stopped responding,” Rodriguez said.

Eventually, Aguilera’s phone ended up in a friend’s bag, which was abandoned in the woods, raising further suspicion for Rodriguez. A former federal prosecutor, Neema Rahmani, suggests that police should reconsider the circumstances surrounding Aguilera’s death. “This could involve an accident, suicide, or murder; all options should be reviewed,” he stated.

Rodriguez is adamant that someone may have pushed her daughter off the balcony. “I think they either threw her off or she was that tipsy from drinking,” she shared. “She’s so tiny; alcohol affects her differently. Maybe they panicked.”

The Austin Police Department has publicly stated, however, that there is no evidence pointing to any criminal activity in Aguilera’s death. “We take every loss in our community seriously, and every life deserves a thorough investigation,” the police emphasized.

The investigation is ongoing, but officials at the Travis County Coroner’s Office noted that the autopsy could take up to 90 days or even longer to complete.