Full Breakdown
Missing North Carolina Mother Vanishes While Swimming in Grenada
7/31/2026, 11:51:49 AM
Core Event
Elizabeth “Liz” Waddell, a 44-year-old physical therapist from Cary, North Carolina, disappeared on July 22, 2026 while swimming near Grand Anse Beach in St. George’s, Grenada. Surveillance footage released by the family shows her walking toward a jetty at 11:36 a.m., removing her towel at 11:46 a.m., entering the water at 11:51 a.m., and swimming beneath the jetty at 12:04 p.m. The video ends without a return to shore. Witnesses later reported seeing her “far from shore” around 5:30 p.m., but no further visual evidence has emerged. She remains missing.
Background & Context
Waddell was on a three-week vacation with a close friend, staying at an Airbnb on the island’s southern coast after ten days at a western-side resort. The U.S. Embassy in Grenada, local authorities, and the Royal Grenada Police Force have been involved in the search from the outset.
Timeline
- July 22 – Video captures movements from 11:36 a.m. to 12:04 p.m.; witnesses later see her in open water at ~5:30 p.m.
- July 23 – Police issue a public missing-person alert.
- July 24 – Cailen Waddell flies to Grenada and begins assisting search teams.
- July 30 – A GoFundMe campaign raises more than $21,000 toward search costs; police continue the investigation.
Data & Statistics
- Water depth at the swim site: approximately five feet (Cailen Waddell, July 28).
- Estimated distance from shore at the 5:30 p.m. sighting: about 20 feet.
- GoFundMe contributions: > $21,000 of a $28,000 goal.
Official Statements & Responses
Royal Grenada Police Force Acting Police Commissioner Randy Connaught emphasized that the case remains a missing-person investigation. He confirmed underwater searches, drone and canine deployments, and coordination with the Grenada Coast Guard, local dive professionals, and St. George’s University to sweep a ten-mile coastal stretch. Investigators have recovered Waddell’s cellphone and are reviewing currents, tides, and possible drift patterns.
Cailen Waddell, an operations manager for the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources in Cary, NC, has been on the ground since July 24. He thanked volunteers, Grenadian citizens, and the U.S. Embassy, and, after consulting authorities, believes no foul play is involved.
On-the-Ground Reports
Search efforts have included dive teams, aerial drones, canine units, and assistance from the Grenada Coast Guard. Local fishermen, boat operators, and residents have been urged to remain vigilant for any sign of a medium-build woman with short blond hair. No trace of Waddell has been located in the days following her disappearance.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Verbatim Quote
- “As some friends and family begin returning home to start processing everything that has occurred, we want to thank our friends and family as well as the local authorities for their compassionate, and tireless efforts to locate Liz.” — Cailen Waddell
