<p>From IDS:
The Bloomington Police Department has been searching for a missing woman since 4:30 a.m. Friday. The woman is Lauren Spierer, age 20.</p>
<p>She is a white female, 4 feet 11 inches tall, slender build, has blue eyes and long blonde hair. She is listed as a student according to IU Bloomington's website.</p>
<p>Spierer was last seen walking south on College Avenue from 11th Street on her way back to her apartment in Smallwood Plaza, located on College Avenue.
Anyone with information about Lauren Spierer should call BPD at 812-339-4477.</p>
<p>If anyone is in Bloomington and willing to help look for Lauren Sperier tomorrow, please meet in front of Smallwood
(455 North College Ave. between 8th and 9th St.) tomorrow (June 6) at:
10:00am
1:00pm
5:30pm
Volunteers Needed!</p>
<p>My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family. I wish I was in Bloomington this summer so I could help find her; this is really sad news.</p>
<p>My sister was a counselor at a camp a couple of yrs ago when she was a counselor there too, she is really a nice girl. I do wish she is somehwere safe, especially when she has a heart condition, which may be life threatening. Mi prayers are going out to her and her parents and sister.</p>
<p>We searched today. Not a huge turnout. I think they’re expecting a LOT more at 5:30 when classes and work is out. It’s been 3+ days now. Finding her NOW is absolutely necessary (I know, that goes without saying, but…if there are more searches in the next days…please consider helping if you can…I put myself in the parents’ shoes; I’d want EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE PERSON on my search team). There but for the Grace of God go many of us parents and kids. Godspeed home Lauren.</p>
<p>So sorry to hear the news about Lauren being missing. I wish I were close to Bloomington so I could aid in the search. I can’t imagine, my prayers are with her and her loved ones. Hoping for a miracle.</p>
<p>The newspaper reports said her shoes and cell phone were found at the bar, and her keys and purse were found along the route to her friend’s home.</p>
<p>She really should have had someone walking with/taking care of her.</p>
<p>I discussed this sad story with my D, and reiterated that it is such a bad idea to walk alone at night or in secluded areas anytime. It is sad that this is the way things are, but women, especially young women, are targets. Unfortunately, they always have been, and probably nothing’s going to change that anytime soon.</p>
<p>Everyone thinks, oh it’s just a short walk, I don’t want to bother anyone. Please, please, ask someone to see you home. This stuff happens everywhere. Happened in my town last year, broad daylight, jogger (wearing ipod). Please keep alert, keep in groups. There is safety in numbers.</p>
<p>After this incident, I feel so dumb because I was literally the master of walking by myself at/around campus late at night. I would spend many nights doing homework in the dorm where my best friends lived (which was conveniently located on the other side of campus from my dorm) and come home as late as 2:00 AM some nights. And then I will never forget the time when I left a party and walked back from a frat house on the Jordan extension all the way to my dorm late at night because I was upset and didn’t want to bother getting a pledge ride. Now I just want to kick myself for being so stupid, because I easily could have gotten into a situation like Lauren’s. I’m thankful that so far I’ve been lucky and also have learned my lesson. I’ll continue to hope and pray that she is found soon.</p>
<p>Leila, I am so glad nothing bad ever happened to you, and also glad that you have the wisdom now to realize that walking alone late at night is not a good idea.</p>
<p>If you set an example for your friends and convince others it’s not a good idea, that is a great thing. </p>
<p>I remember when I was in college I would have dismissed my mom’s concerns about things like that as overprotective. But having a friend tell me it was not the thing would have registered more! </p>
<p>I hope we hear some news about Lauren soon, this must be sheer hell for her friends and especially her family.</p>
<p>She’s a young woman local to where I live. It is truly a terrible thing and strikes fear in all of us parents here. My prayers are with Lauren and her family. How I hope that she is found unharmed.</p>