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The body of a young woman, believed to be a Chinese international student at Toronto's York University, was found in her home near campus Friday morning, but it is not yet known how she died.

Police have called the death "suspicious," but have not yet figured out if it is a homicide, a medical-related death or an accident.

The woman's name has not been released.

Someone in the house where the woman lived with several other students called police around 11 a.m. They found her body in the basement, where she lived.

"The circumstances in which she was located are very concerning to us. We've engaged the coroner and the pathologist, who are here right now," said Inspector Edward Boyd, a homicide investigator.

He declined to say whether there were any injuries to her body.

A Chinese consular official arrived at the home as well. He said the woman's mother had contacted diplomatic officials that morning to check on her.

"Her mother called us to find out what happened," Xinhua Huang told reporters. "She's just asked us to come here to find out what happened to her daughter."

The home on Aldwinckle Heights, a street of cookie-cutter three-storey red brick houses in a neighbourhood called the York Village. Just south of the suburban campus, the area contains numerous student houses.

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