Funds raised to bring home Orkney student who took her own life at Robert Gordon University

The family of a student who took her own life on campus have raised more than £10,000 to bring her body home to Orkney.

Claire Fraser, 19, died at Robert Gordon University on Wednesday, November 20, after struggling with her mental health following her brother William being stabbed to death by their uncle two years ago.

Erland Fraser, 50, left his victim with 20 stab wounds in the fatal attack at his home in St Margaret’s Hope, Orkney, on June 19, 2022.

A judge heard that the killing of William Fraser, 21, had a devastating impact on the family.

His uncle originally faced a charge of murder, but his guilty plea to the lesser charge of culpable homicide on the basis of diminished responsibility was accepted by the Crown.

A court heard that Fraser has a mental disorder in the form of a learning disability.

A judge told Fraser that after reading reports prepared on him and hearing from a consultant forensic psychiatrist that imposing a compulsion order with restrictions on his discharge was appropriate.

He is held at the State Hospital at Carstairs.

Claire’s family have raised £10,000 to bring her home to Orkney where she was born to be buried.

A post on the GoFundMe by her mother Fiona Fraser read: “Our beautiful daughter Claire, age 19, very devastatingly took her own life on November 20 when away from home at university.

“Claire had struggled terribly after her big brother William was brutally murdered in June 2022.

“She didn’t have life insurance so funds are very much needed please to bury her in Orkney where she was born.”

A spokesperson for RGU previously said: “RGU can sadly confirm that the body of a student was found on its campus this morning (Wednesday, November 20).

“The University is liaising with the emergency services and is supporting the student’s family as well as the entire University community.

“This is a very sad situation and our thoughts are with the student’s family and friends.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers were called to the Garthdee Road area of Aberdeen around 1.35am on Wednesday, November 20, following the sudden death of a 19-year-old woman.

“There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”

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