NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—Children in Lincoln Elementary School were subjected to a lockdown for at least 25 minutes on the first day of school, after a student ended up in the wrong classroom.

According to police radio transmissions, dispatchers told any available police units to respond to the school shortly after 11am, almost two hours after the search began for the missing child.

According to Superintendent Aubrey Johnson, the young student had been identified as missing from class after a “headcount” ended up short at about 9:30 am.

Neither the city police department nor the school district used their Nixle emergency alert systems to inform the public about the lockdown.

It is not clear exactly when the lockdown began, but Johnson says he wasn’t told about the situation until 11:25am.

“The school was in lockdown earlier today. Any questions/details should be directed to the Board of Education,” said New Brunswick Police Captain JT Miller.

The student was in either first or second grade, according to Johnson, who said the child was found in another classroom and the lockdown was lifted at 11:50pm.

Editor at New Brunswick Today | 732-993-9697 | editor@newbrunswicktoday.com | Website

Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.

Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.