MANCHESTER, England — A 19-year-old Zimbabwean law student was found dead in Manchester’s River Irwell on Thursday, 17 July, following an overnight search by emergency services.
Christine Chido Benjamin, who was studying law and had secured four scholarships, was last seen near the Lowry Hotel along the Salford-Manchester border. Greater Manchester Police said they received a report just after midnight that someone had entered the river.
Search and rescue teams, including marine and underwater units, responded and later recovered Benjamin’s body near Blackfriars Road.
Her mother said Christine had returned from a trip to Portugal shortly before the incident and appeared mentally unwell. She was taken to hospital, where she told medical staff that she had been given cannabis by friends during the trip. After being discharged, her condition reportedly deteriorated.
According to her mother, Christine began displaying unusual behaviour, including speaking in the third person and wandering around shops and restaurants. The family contacted the police out of concern for her safety.
“They later called and said they needed to speak with me,” her mother said. “That’s when they told me she had been found dead.”
The cause of death has not been confirmed. Police say investigations are ongoing.
Benjamin’s death has drawn attention from both UK and Zimbabwean communities.
