American Student Stabbed To Death In Netherlands, Police Arrest Roommate

An American student, Sarah Papenheim, 21, was stabbed to death in The Netherlands on Wednesday, allegedly by her roommate, according to Rotterdam police.

The police said in a statement to CNN that had they received reports of an argument at an apartment located on Kralingse Kerklaan. When they arrived at the scene, they found Pepenheim with stab wounds and made attempts to resuscitate her. According to police, the attempts to save the women were unsuccessful, and she died from her injuries.

Through an investigation, the police told to CNN they were led to Papenheim’s roommate, who was apprehended at the Eindhoven train station - 60 miles from Rotterdam. The police have not yet released the name of the roommate.

Roland Ekkers, a spokesman for the Rotterdam police, told KSTP that they are continuing to investigate the incident.

“This is obviously a very, very tragic case,” he told the news outlet. “We are somewhat happy we could arrest the suspect so soon, but that’s only a small drop in the pain that the family must feel. So our thoughts are with them.”

Papenheim lived in the apartment with her roommate with separate rooms but a shared a kitchen and bathroom, according to police. The apartment was a block from the Erasmus University campus, where she was studying, WCCO reported.

“They found her in a bath of blood, stabbed to death and beat up and stabbed for no reason, but trying to be his friend,” Papenheim’s mother, Donee Odegard, told KMSP .

Odegard told KMSP that her daughter often complained that her roommate had a temper and mood swings. Odegard had told her daughter to get out, but she had refused, saying she was his “only friend,” KMSP reported.

“Sarah studied psychology and lived in the Netherlands since 2016,” the university said in a statement to CNN. “Our deepest condolences go out to all Sarah's family and friends at this poignant time. The university is shocked by this terrible incident and is taking care of upset students and employees.”

Papenheim had also been struggling from the loss of her brother that had died by suicide a few years ago, Mitch Bahr, the student’s former high school teacher, told KRCR. At the time, Papenheim attended Foothill High School in Redding, California.

A friend of Papenheim , George Moye, told WCCO, that she had planned to come home next week for the holidays.

“The thing that is going through my head is that she was coming home for Christmas, as we were all so excited to see her and to hear that she was coming back that way, and that was just tragic," Moye told the outlet.

The School of Social and Behavourial Sciences where Papenheim studied has organized a gathering for students and staff Friday, CNN reported. "We encourage our students and staff not to let each other (be) alone in this difficult time," the university told CNN.