The search for a New Hyde Park resident who disappeared after leaving an off-campus party at his Illinois college over the weekend has intensified as the FBI joins local authorities in the effort to find him.
Harsha Maddula, 18, is a pre-med student at Northwestern University. The college sophomore attended an off-campus house party and hasn't been seen since he left early Saturday.
Campus security cameras show Maddula never returned to his dorm, which is about half a mile away from the house party.
The missing teenager's parents left their New York home over the weekend and are now searching for their son, along with thousands of others, in Illinois.
Police told Maddula's father that they have spoken with the friends who accompanied the teenager to the party on multiple occasions. All say they encouraged him to leave when they did and thought he was right behind them when they walked out. They didn't look back to see that he wasn't.
Police also told Maddula's father that the student's dorm supervisor called him at 12:30 a.m. Saturday asking where he was and Maddula told her he was in his room. Police say multiple searches of the room and surrounding video show Maddula never returned after leaving for the party at 10:30 p.m. Friday.
Maddula's cousin is conducting search efforts through Facebook while he attends school in Hoboken.
"Every piece of information, no matter how myopic, will be useful," the post on the public page reads.
Maddula's family says the teen was recently diagnosed with diabetes, which makes finding him even more urgent.
"Maybe he fell somewhere, maybe he became disoriented, we don't know," his uncle said.
Maddula is described as being about 5 feet 4 inches tall and 135 pounds with black hair. He wears black-framed glasses.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call Northwestern University Police at 847-491-3254.
