Police have made a further appeal to the public as it continues its search for Elisabeth Nicholls, the 79-year-old living with dementia who went missing in Christchurch last week.
Nicholls was reported missing after 6pm on Wednesday, June 4, after she was admitted to respite care at the Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village on Bartlett St in Riccarton.
She was last seen on CCTV at the Chateau on the Park in Riccarton shortly before 8pm.
She was wearing blue pants, a dark-coloured long-sleeved top, black shoes, and distinctive long grey hair.
“We don’t know where she travelled to after the Chateau, and have not been able to locate any items of interest that would lead us closer to her,” Detective Sergeant Lucy Aldridge said today.
Aldridge said police had “grave concerns” for her wellbeing. “We need your help to bring her home.”
She said police did not did not suspect foul play at this stage, “but of course, we’ve got to keep our minds open to that”.
Aldridge urged members of the public to check their backyards, sheds, and sleepouts, as well as look under anything where a person could seek shelter.
Those with CCTV were asked to review footage from 6.40pm on Wednesday, June 4, to 8am on Thursday, June 5.
“While Liz went missing in the Riccarton area, she is physically strong and may have walked some distance. If you have any information that may assist us, please call 111, immediately,” Aldridge said.
“We don’t know how far she could have got. We’ve done extensive searching in the Riccarton area, and like I’ve said, we’ve had no luck as yet.”
Adridge said Nicholls often went on walks with her husband, but not by herself.
Her husband of nearly 60 years, Gary Nicholls, said in a statement that the family was “deeply concerned” and had been living with “painful uncertainty” for a week.
Nicholls was described as an “adored wife, mother, grandmother, friend and colleague, who has always put others first”.
“Her life has been about helping people through nursing, Plunket, and social work. She has been there for people when they needed her help, and her influence has touched all of our lives for the better.”
The village where she was staying allowed residents to come and go, and said it had provided support to her family.
A Ryman spokesperson said earlier that staff realised Elisabeth had left shortly after 6pm that night and searched the home before calling the police.
