Grave concerns for Christchurch woman Shirley Warrington missing in freezing conditions
Monday, 12 July 2021
An elderly woman still missing after spending two bitterly cold days outside in Christchurch is believed to have disappeared after she went to get help for her “frail” husband who she thought was having a heart attack.
Search and rescue teams, with the help of a fire service drone, spent Monday looking for Shirley Warrington near Ferrymead Park after she went missing on Saturday night.
As concerns for her welfare became grave following two days of near-freezing conditions, residents in Ferrymead, Heathcote, and Horotane Valley Rd areas were asked to check their properties, including bushes, outbuildings and tree lines.
It is believed Warrington, 85, left her Burwood home and travelled to Rolleston early on Saturday evening with her husband Wally Warrington, also in his 80s, before venturing to either Ferrymead or Sumner about 8.30pm that evening, her daughter Karen Colville said.
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From what Wally – who she described as “frail” – had told her, Colville said Warrington had suffered a suspected “dementia moment” and thought she was searching for family members.
The pair were spotted by police driving in the Rolleston area late on Saturday, and are believed to have been in either Ferrymead or Sumner as their car was caught on street cameras driving around the area throughout the night.
Just before 7am on Sunday, Colville said Wally believed he was having a “slight heart attack” and it is thought Warrington then left the car to get help for her husband.
He fell asleep some time after and awoke later on Sunday morning and found his wife had not returned to the car.
Wally went searching for Warrington but could not find her so returned home, and family reported her disappearance to police.
Colville said she could not believe her mother was missing when she received the call on Sunday.
“I thought, ‘Oh no, this can’t be’. I didn't think this would happen so [we've just got to] sit and wait another night now.”
Relatives had been “staying strong” and scouring the city looking for Warrington around the clock since her disappearance.
They were very concerned for her safety, given she had spent two nights with minimal clothing in freezing conditions, were worried she may be disoriented and dehydrated, Colville said.
Temperatures in Christchurch dropped to 2.1 degrees Celsius on Saturday, plummeting to minus 2.1C on Sunday, and temperatures overnight on Monday were expected to be around freezing.
“She’s in a thin dress, short sleeves and just bare legs and shoes on,” Colville said.
“Even if I was out there last night I wouldn't have survived in that – it’s horrible, it’s really cold.
“You don't want to hear it but as the days go by you’ve got to think, ‘Well I hope she’s not suffering if she is still out in the cold’.
“We just keep praying that police find her or someone does and speaks up.”
Colville said she and her family were extremely grateful to the thousands of people who had shared information of Warrington’s disappearance on social media and those who had helped in the search.
“It’s absolutely marvellous – I've gone on Facebook and thanked them for what they’re doing, it’s amazing. People don't even know you but they’re concerned, and it’s really wonderful what they're doing.”
Anyone with information that may help police find Warrington is asked to call 111 and quote event number P047149632.