Police find missing Christchurch woman alive

Tuesday, 9 June 2026

Police have found missing 81-year-old Christchurch woman Valerie Hargrave alive.

She was found on Tuesday evening following days of extensive searching by Police teams, assisted by members of the public who conducted community-led searches.

“She was extremely cold, but is talking to Police and will be sent for a medical examination,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Colin Baillie.

“Her family have been notified of this great result,” Baillie said.

Hargrave disappeared on Saturday after going to a meeting in Woolston.

Temperatures in Christchurch dropped significantly on Monday night, intensifying the concern, with frosts expected in the city in the coming days.

Hargrave was last seen wearing a pink cardigan or jersey and was described as being about 167cm tall with a small build.

Her discovery came after more than 30 volunteers gathered on Tuesday at New World on Ferry Rd to join the community search, spurred on by memories of Elisabeth Nicolls, a 79-year-old woman with dementia who went missing from a retirement village a year earlier and was found dead 19 days later, less than 3km away.

Volunteers The Press spoke to, including Vicky, Shirley, Joy and Trey had spent the day searching for Hargrave through bush and along the banks of the Ōpāwaho Heathcote River in Woolston.

“She’s somebody’s mum. She’s somebody’s nan,” volunteer Trey had said during the search.

Police have thanked everyonewho assisted with search efforts in recent days.

Some of those who took part in the search, together with other Christchurch residents, expressed their relief on local Facebook groups on Tuesday night after hearing the good news.

“Fantastic news,” one resident said.

“Thank goodness,” another wrote.