The Princeton University undergraduate student, Lauren Blackburn, has been discovered deceased after disappearing for almost a week.
Blackburn, 23, was found at Lake Carnegie on the morning of April 25, as reported by Princeton University's Department of Public Safety. The last contact with Blackburn was around 6 p.m. ET on April 19 near Firestone Library on the Ivy League campus.
"Our hearts are heavy and we share our deepest condolences with Lauren's family and friends," expressed the department in a social media post.
Authorities concentrated their search efforts on Lake Carnegie, a reservoir near Princeton's campus, according to News 12 New Jersey and WPVI-TV. Blackburn's cellphone was tracked near the lake, media outlets disclosed.
The circumstances surrounding Blackburn's death remain unclear. USA TODAY reached out to Princeton on April 25 but has not received a response.
Originally from Indiana, Blackburn was a former staff writer for The Daily Princetonian, the student-run newspaper at Princeton University, as per reports from Fox News and News 12 New Jersey.
Prior to attending Princeton, Blackburn was recognized as a standout high school student, selected as one of 2,500 students for the National Merit Scholarship in 2019, as noted by WAVE.
"He can read a book and know everything in it," remarked Kate Robinson, an English teacher at Corydon Central High School, Blackburn's alma mater. "I'm pretty sure he has a photographic memory."
After Blackburn's disappearance, Vice President for Student Life W. Rochelle Calhoun sent an email to Princeton undergraduate students, as reported by The Daily Princetonian.
"I will share an update when we know more, but in the meantime, please hold Lauren in your thoughts as we attempt to locate him," Calhoun wrote.