A North Carolina mother who went missing while on vacation in Grenada was last seen on security video going into the water near a pier, according to a friend and family spokesperson.
Elizabeth Waddell, 44, disappeared on July 22 after leaving her Airbnb around noon for Grand Anse Beach in Grenada’s capital city, St. George’s.
Amanda Romano-Harmon, a friend speaking on behalf of the family, said the Royal Grenada Police Force obtained surveillance footage capturing Waddell’s last known actions before she drifted out of frame.
“It shows her … floating, swimming around, but then she, you know, she floats out of the camera view and so that’s the last footage of Liz,” Romano-Harmon said, according to CBS News.
Waddell, a physical therapist from Cary, North Carolina, was on a three-week trip with a close friend, identified only by her first name, Heather, in local reports. When Waddell did not return after several hours, her travel companion searched the area and discovered Waddell’s towel abandoned on the pier.
“Liz had literally left in a swimsuit with a towel. She didn’t have her phone, ID, anything with her, no shoes,” Romano-Harmon said, describing her as “the type of person who’d give you the shirt off her back.”
In an interview with ABC affiliate WTVD, Romano-Harmon said Waddell was an “amazing person, and we want to bring her home,” describing her as an adventurous, gregarious and free-spirited mother.
“She’ll see kids playing in the park as she’s walking or exercising or whatever, and she’ll start kicking the ball with them,” Romano-Harmon told the outlet. “Everybody’s a friend for Liz. If you have any, any information, no detail is too small. We are trying not to leave any stone unturned.”
Waddell is described on a missing person flier as 5 feet, 5 inches tall with a medium build and short blond hair.
Her husband, Cailen Waddell, traveled to Grenada to join local search efforts. In a Facebook post cited by People, he wrote: “I am on my way there now to help search. I expect nothing less than Liz’s safe return — so please sent your love, light, thoughts and prayers our way.”
He also asked anyone with “connections to the island” to share information with local contacts.
“My wife is a loving free-spirit person,” Cailen Waddell said, speaking to Grenadian media last week. “She could make friends with anyone and she often did.”
Authorities in Grenada have not publicly released the surveillance video. However, local police issued an appeal to the public, boaters and residents near the water for any potential sightings.
“We specially appeal to fishermen, boat operators, and residents along the southern coastline to report any sightings or relevant information that may assist in locating Ms. Waddell,” the Royal Grenada Police Force said in a statement.
The U.S. State Department confirmed it was tracking the situation.
“The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans,” a State Department spokesperson told ABC News. “We are aware of reports of a missing American in Grenada. When Americans are missing abroad, the State Department can assist families and friends with filing missing persons reports and can help them understand local procedures.
“We would refer to local law enforcement in Grenada questions regarding any potential investigation. Due to privacy and other considerations, we have no further comment.”
