The search intensifies for a 73-year-old woman who vanished from her home in Grand Bay-Westfield last week, with RCMP now analyzing security footage from nearby businesses and residences.
Margaret O’Brien was last seen Thursday evening near her River Road home. Neighbors report she often took evening walks along the riverfront, a routine that made her absence immediately concerning when she didn’t return.
“We’re following every lead possible,” says Constable Jared Hamilton of the Grand Bay-Westfield RCMP detachment. “The community response has been tremendous, with over 40 volunteers joining our ground search teams yesterday alone.”
Police have deployed drones equipped with thermal imaging technology to scan difficult terrain surrounding the small New Brunswick community. Ground Search and Rescue teams from Saint John and Oromocto have joined local first responders in conducting grid searches through nearby wooded areas.
O’Brien’s family describes her as an active senior who knows the area well but has recently experienced minor memory issues. She was wearing a blue windbreaker, beige pants and white sneakers when she disappeared.
“Margaret is the heart of our street,” says neighbor Elaine Whittaker, who helped organize volunteer search efforts. “She bakes cookies for new families and remembers everyone’s birthday. We need to bring her home.”
Local businesses have provided footage from exterior cameras, with investigators particularly interested in a two-hour window between 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. on Thursday. The RCMP’s Technical Crime Unit is processing video from several vantage points along River Road.
The Saint John River’s proximity adds complexity to search operations. Marine units have conducted shoreline sweeps, while the Coast Guard assisted with downstream monitoring.
“Time is critical in these situations,” explains search coordinator Matthew Taylor. “The weather has cooperated so far, but with temperatures dropping at night, our urgency increases.”
Community response has been swift. The local Lions Club opened its hall as a coordination center, while restaurants have donated meals to volunteers. Social media groups dedicated to the search have attracted hundreds of members sharing information and organizing search parties.
“This is what small-town New Brunswick is about,” says Grand Bay-Westfield Mayor Brittany Merrifield. “When someone needs help, everyone shows up.”
Anyone with information about O’Brien’s whereabouts or who may have dashcam footage from the River Road area Thursday evening is urged to contact the Grand Bay-Westfield RCMP immediately at 506-757-1020.
Police remind volunteers to coordinate through official channels rather than conducting independent searches that might compromise evidence or create safety risks.
As darkness fell Tuesday evening, candles flickered in windows throughout Grand Bay-Westfield – a community signal of hope that their missing neighbor will soon return home.
