Jason Arday, a former Cambridge professor of sociology, has been found dead at only 41. As reported by the BBC, his tragic passing comes just one week after he resigned over accusations of plagiarism.
Arday's family confirmed his passing in a statement. They said they were "in shock to have lost this amazing father, partner, brother, uncle, and son."
They added, "The campaign of misinformation was too much for Jason, who was a gentle man and who always wanted to see the best in everyone."
Arday had faced accusations of plagiarism involving his doctoral thesis work. He denied the allegations, however, and admitted there were errors in his work.
Because of the "unrelenting level of public scrutiny and personal attacks" that arose from the scandal, the professor resigned from his post as professor last week.
Earlier this month, he explained in an interview, "We're talking about academia here. I didn't murder somebody. I think the cruelty that I've experienced and the positioning of me as this kind of liar and fantasist is totally unacceptable."
His cause of death has not been confirmed. The Metropolitan Police said, "at this time his death is being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious".
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Tributes Have Poured in for the Cambridge Professor
Tributes have poured in online for Jason Arday. His friend, Kehinde Andrews, mentioned just how much the media row had affected him.
"He was very upset," he wrote, also adding that "he felt that there was no way out, he effectively wasn't leaving the house, he had lost a lot of weight."
People on social media lamented his loss. One commenter wrote, "Whatever people thought about the controversy around him, a 41-year-old man has died and his family has just lost someone they love," also adding, "There's a time for criticism and there's a time to leave it alone."
People also speculated that he may have committed suicide. However, this has not been confirmed.
This is a truly tragic situation. May Jason Arday rest in peace. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as they navigate this unimaginable loss.
This article, in part, discusses themes of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8.
