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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person
Lead #1What happened to Steven Anderson, David's 17-year-old roommate, who disappeared at the same time?
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evidence
Lead #2David wore a protective helmet and required daily epilepsy medication—could his medical condition have affected his ability to survive or be found?
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location
Lead #3The New Lisbon facility covers 1,896 acres in the New Jersey Pinelands—were the boys found within the grounds or did they leave the property?
On April 7, 1975, David Williams, age 12, and his roommate Steven Anderson, age 17, disappeared from the New Lisbon State School in Burlington County, New Jersey while walking back to their residence from a nearby ball field. Both boys had developmental disabilities and required supervision; David was epileptic and dependent on daily medication without which he could suffer severe seizures. Despite decades of investigation, their whereabouts remain unknown, and authorities continue seeking information that might explain what happened to these two vulnerable young men.
Case
#270
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Newark Field Office; Atlantic City Resident Agency
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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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witness
Lead #4Staff members were present at the ball field—what did they observe about the boys' departure and condition?
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clue
Lead #5David was last seen wearing a blue jacket and striped pants—have these items ever been recovered?
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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 towards their residence from a nearby ball field where they had been playing with staff members.
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