The person at the center of this case
David Williams (age 12 at disappearance)
Missing Person · Open
51 years waiting · since 1975
DAVID WILLIAMS
Justice for David Williams (age 12 at disappearance) — the trail went cold in 1975, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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evidence
Lead #1David Williams wore a protective helmet and required daily epilepsy medication; without it he risked Grand Mal seizures. Why was he not found with his medication or helmet?
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person
Lead #2Steven Anderson, age 17, disappeared simultaneously with David Williams. What was the nature of their relationship and could they have left together?
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location
Lead #3The 1,896-acre New Lisbon State School campus in the New Jersey Pinelands is vast. Were search efforts comprehensive given the terrain and facility size?
On April 7, 1975, David Williams, a 12-year-old boy with developmental disabilities and epilepsy, disappeared from the New Lisbon State School in Burlington County, New Jersey, along with his 17-year-old roommate Steven Anderson. The boys were last seen at 4:15 p.m. walking from a ball field toward their residence and have never been found. David required daily medication to prevent seizures and wore a protective helmet; without his medication, he would have been in serious medical danger, making his disappearance particularly urgent.
Case
#270
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - Newark Field Office
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
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clue
Lead #4David was last seen wearing a blue jacket and striped pants. Have these items ever been recovered or reported as sightings?
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witness
Lead #5Staff members were present at the ball field when the boys left. What details did they provide about the boys' condition and direction of travel?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
April 7, 1975 New Lisbon, Burlington County, New Jersey David Williams, then age 12, and Steven Anderson , then age 17, were reported missing from the New Lisbon State School, now called the New Lisbon Developmental Center, located in Burlington County, New Jersey, on April 7, 1975. Both boys lived at the 1,896-acre center located off Route 72 in the New Jersey Pinelands.
They had diagnosed developmental disabilities and were unable to care for themselves without supervision. The boys, who were roommates, were last seen at approximately 4:15 p.m., walking towards their residence from a nearby ball field where they had been playing with staff members.
Remarks: At the time of his disappearance, David generally wore a helmet to protect his head, as he was an epileptic who needed to take daily medication. Without that medication, David could have suffered a Grand Mal seizure.
He was last seen wearing a blue jacket and striped pants.
Timeline of Events
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1975-04-07
16:15Last sighting of David Williams and Steven Anderson
Both boys were last seen at approximately 4:15 p.m. walking from a nearby ball field toward their residence at the New Lisbon State School where they lived as roommates.
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1975-04-07
David Williams and Steven Anderson reported missing
The two boys were reported missing from the New Lisbon State School on April 7, 1975. Both had diagnosed developmental disabilities and were unable to care for themselves without supervision.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:April 7, 1975 at 4:15 PM
Last Updated:September 11, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:April 7, 1975 at 4:15 PM
Last Updated:September 11, 2026