Search Intensifies for Missing Princeton Student Near New Jersey's Lake Carnegie

Princeton University is grappling with a tense search for one of its own as authorities comb Lake Carnegie for clues in the disappearance of 23-year-old junior Lauren Blackburn. Last seen on Saturday, April 19, 2025, near Firestone Library at around 6 p.m., Blackburn's absence has sparked a large-scale operation involving sonar units, drones, and K-9 teams, with the campus community on edge.

According to a Tiger Alert issued by Princeton's Department of Public Safety on April 22, Blackburn was wearing blue jeans with torn knees, a yellow T-shirt, a black zippered hooded sweatshirt, and blue flat-bottom shoes at the time of his last sighting. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair, the Class of 2026 student is a recognizable figure on campus. The alert, reported by People and 6ABC, urged anyone with information to contact Public Safety at (609) 258-1000.

The search zeroed in on Lake Carnegie, a man-made reservoir built in 1906 for Princeton's rowing team, after Blackburn's phone began pinging in the area around midnight on April 22, per 6ABC. Crews from Hamilton Township, including boats equipped with sonar, have been scouring the nine-foot-deep lake, joined by K-9 units and drones. "It's the scale of it," said local resident Elizabeth Sheldon, who lives near the search site, noting the unusual activity at a typically quiet boat ramp off Princeton Kingston Road. The operation, which resumed Tuesday afternoon, has drawn significant law enforcement presence, with students noticing heightened patrols across campus.

Blackburn, a native of Corydon, Indiana, is no ordinary student. A 2019 National Merit Scholar and Gates Scholar, he earned a full ride to Princeton, where he once wrote for the student newspaper, The Daily Princetonian. "I'm very grateful and feel very blessed," Blackburn told WAVE in 2019, praising Princeton's world-class education. His high school English teacher, Kate Robinson, described him as having a near-photographic memory, capable of absorbing entire books. His academic prowess and quiet determination made his disappearance all the more shocking to peers and faculty.

Princeton's Vice President for Student Life, W. Rochelle Calhoun, emailed the campus community, offering support through Counseling and Psychological Services, the Office of Religious Life, residential colleges, and the graduate school, per The Daily Princetonian. The university's response underscores the gravity of the situation, with students expressing both hope and unease. "I hope he's found soon and totally fine," one student told 6ABC, echoing sentiments across campus.

The search has drawn comparisons to past incidents at Princeton, though none are directly related. In 2022, student Misrach Ewunetie was found dead near campus tennis courts after a dayslong search, with no foul play suspected, per NJ.com. That case, unrelated to Blackburn's, heightened awareness of campus safety. Posts on X, including one from@Princeton on April 22, amplified the call for information, while users like@GrayHall6abc noted the ongoing efforts at Lake Carnegie.

As the search continues, the Princeton community remains united in hope for Blackburn's safe return. The university, known for its tight-knit campus, is rallying around the missing scholar, whose disappearance has cast a shadow over the Ivy League institution. Authorities urge anyone with information to come forward, as every detail could be critical in bringing Lauren Blackburn home.