Grandmother’s family ‘hugging her a little tighter’ since she was found safe after four nights missing outdoors
Wednesday, 10 June 2026
A grandmother whose disappearance from her Christchurch home triggered a major search was found in long grass by a main road after spending four nights outdoors.
Valerie Hargrave, 81, was found alive in Ferrymead on Tuesday evening after days of extensive searching by police and members of the public.
Her relieved family have thanked those who joined in the hunt, saying they will be “hugging her a little tighter” now that she is safe and well.
Hargrave went missing after last being seen at her home in the St Johns St area of Woolston.
She was found by police in long grass between Tunnel Rd and the walking track in Ferrymead, about a kilometre from her home.
Detective Senior Sergeant Colin Baillie said she had been “extremely cold”, but was talking to officers.
Hargrave is now in hospital surrounded by her loved ones and is receiving medical care, he said. “Our thoughts are with Valerie and her family as she recovers.”
On Wednesday, Hargrave’s granddaughter thanked the community for its support in an online post.
“On behalf of our family I wanted to express our gratitude for the incredible support and kindness we have received from the community as well as Canterbury police and the land search and rescue teams.
“We are so pleased to have Val found safe and alive after an incredibly worrying few days.
“We are so amazed and thankful for the way this community has shown up and effortlessly helped us search for Val.
“We are overwhelmed with relief by such a positive outcome and to have her back with us. We are certainly hugging her a little tighter today.
“Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts.
“She is doing okay and being well looked after by the incredible staff at Christchurch Hospital. We appreciate privacy at this time. Sincerely, Theresa (Val's granddaughter).”
Police reviewed hours of CCTV ad traffic camera footage, deployed about 30 staff to carry out grid searches, and asked local businesses to help confirm sightings of her.
Dozens of people got together to scour Woolston, with about 30 people gathering at New World on Ferry Rd to help. .
There has been an outpouring of relief and celebration from the wider communitysince Hargrave was found.
In many of their thoughts was Elisabeth Nicolls, a 79-year-old Christchurch woman with dementia, who disappeared from the Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village and was later found dead. She went missing the same day Hargrave did a year prior.