Crews focus on Carnegie Lake in search for missing Princeton University student

Lauren Blackburn, 23, was last seen on campus on Saturday near Firestone Library.

Matt Trapani and Amanda Lee

Apr 24, 2025, 9:30 PM

Updated 9 hr ago

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Crews are still searching for a Princeton University student who has been missing for nearly a week.
Princeton University officials said Wednesday and Thursday that there is an increased presence of law enforcement officials as the search for Lauren Blackburn continues.
Blackburn, 23, was last seen on campus on Saturday near Firestone Library.
The Indiana resident was last seen wearing ripped jeans, a yellow shirt and a black zip-up hoodie.
Search efforts were focused on the Carnegie Lake area after Blackburn’s phone was traced near the lake. It’s very close to Princeton's main campus.
Officials say Blackburn was studying at Princeton with the help of a scholarship for low-income families that is only awarded to about 300 students. He is also a writer for Princeton’s daily newspaper.
Princeton’s Department of Public Safety is leading the investigation. The department is asking anyone who might have information about Blackburn’s disappearance to call them at 609-258-1000.