Authorities are actively searching for Elizabeth Waddell, a North Carolina mother who disappeared after swimming in Grenada, with her family and local officials working together to locate her.
The search for Elizabeth Waddell, a 44-year-old mother from North Carolina, has intensified following her disappearance while vacationing on the Caribbean island of Grenada. Newly released surveillance footage shows Waddell jumping into the water for a swim just hours before she was reported missing.
The video, captured on July 22, 2026, near Grand Anse Beach in St. George’s, shows Waddell walking toward a jetty in her swimsuit and a burnt orange top at approximately 11:45 a.m. She is seen jumping into the water at 11:47 a.m. and was last recorded floating and swimming toward the open ocean at 12:04 p.m.
Waddell had gone for a solo swim while her travel companion remained inside their Airbnb to finish an online course. When her friend went outside to look for her at 12:46 p.m., she found only Waddell’s towel left on the pier. Waddell left behind her phone, wallet, cash, and identification cards, raising concerns about her safety.
Local authorities have interviewed a group of jet skiers who reported seeing a woman matching Waddell’s description far out in deeper waters. When they approached her to check if she was okay, she gave them a thumbs up and indicated that she was fine and a strong swimmer.
The Royal Grenada Police Force has deployed drones, K-9 teams, and divers to search the coastline. They are treating the case as an active missing persons investigation and have requested assistance from the FBI to help canvass the area.
Waddell’s husband, Cailen Waddell, along with other family members, has traveled to Grenada to retrace her steps and assist in the search efforts. Cailen has expressed that the family believes no foul play is involved in her disappearance.
Elizabeth Waddell is a licensed physical therapist based in Cary, North Carolina, and also teaches dance classes at Aradia Fitness. Her husband described her as an extremely compassionate, outgoing, and loving free spirit who easily makes friends wherever she goes.
Waddell is approximately 5 feet tall with short blond hair and a medium build. At the time of her disappearance, she was last seen wearing a loose, burnt orange crop top over blue-and-white striped shorts.
A timeline of events leading up to her disappearance reveals that Waddell and her travel companion arrived in Grenada from Miami on July 11 for a planned two-week vacation. They spent the first ten days on the western side of the island before relocating to a beachfront Airbnb in the Grand Anse resort area on July 21, a move that was part of their pre-planned itinerary.
On July 22, surveillance footage shows Waddell walking out of the Airbnb toward the jetty at 11:36 a.m. She is seen sitting in the sun for several minutes before entering the water at 11:51 a.m. Her friend is briefly captured on camera adjusting a nearby beach chair shortly thereafter. The last confirmed sighting of Waddell was at 12:04 p.m., swimming away from the property.
At 5:30 p.m. on the same day, the group of jet skiers reported interacting with a woman who matched Waddell’s description further out in deep water. She declined their assistance, stating she was a strong swimmer and doing fine. However, by 5:50 p.m., realizing that Waddell had left without her shoes, wallet, cash, or phone and had been missing for hours, her friend officially reported her disappearance to local police.
Cailen Waddell arrived on the island on July 24 to retrace his wife’s steps. He swam in the same area and described the water near the shore as shallow, rocky, and exceptionally calm, likening it to a lake rather than the turbulent ocean waters of North Carolina.
The Grenada Coast Guard, local police K-9 units, and specialized dive teams are actively searching the southern coastline. They are examining maritime tide patterns and investigating whether any boats or vehicles approached the jetty area during the critical midday hours of Waddell’s disappearance.
The U.S. State Department is assisting the family, and while the FBI has provided background intelligence and cross-referenced information, agents have not yet been deployed on the ground in Grenada.
In an effort to gather community leads and share verified information, the family has launched a dedicated website, FindLiz.com, which includes photos from the security footage and updates on the search.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities and loved ones continue their efforts to locate Elizabeth Waddell, hoping for her safe return.
According to The Sunday Guardian, the search for Waddell is a collaborative effort involving local authorities and her family.