Northwestern Professor Nina Kraus Found Safe After Daylong Search in Evanston
EVANSTON, Ill. – Nina Kraus, a renowned neurobiology professor at Northwestern University, was found safe on Tuesday afternoon after being reported missing on Monday, September 1.The 72-year-old had last been seen leaving her home on the 1500 block of Ashland Avenue in Evanston around 9 a.m.
Kraus was transported to a local hospital by ambulance, her family confirming she was alive. She was discovered by a neighbor behind trees and bushes in a front-yard garden just one door down from her home, according to the neighbor who found her. Evanston police confirmed Kraus had been located and taken to a hospital.
Family members reported Kraus missing after she failed to return from a walk, a routine activity for the longtime Evanston resident. She did not take her phone with her. A search involving Evanston police on the ground and in the air was launched Monday.
“Nothing was unusual other than that day she didn’t bring her phone,” said kraus’ son, Mikey Perkins. His wife, Hannah Geil-Neufeld, added, “And that she didn’t come back after, you know, an hour or two.”
Kraus is a professor in the School of Interaction at Northwestern, where she studies the interaction between sound and the brain. She is known for her research on the impact of music on cognitive function and has presented her work nationally,including a 2018 appearance at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
“she’s well known in that community,” Perkins said. “She’s well-published and has spoken all over.”
Neighbors expressed relief at the news of Kraus’ safe return. “I just came home and parked my car there, and I heard people shrieking and crying,” said Laura Bainbridge, a neighbor. “Thankfully, she’s alive, so that’s great. Everyone here in the neighborhood is very, very happy for the news.”
