Body found in Granada province could be that of British woman who disappeared in Almeria three months ago
Geraldine, who suffers from a cognitive disorder, was last seen in Contador on the night of 17 September when she left home with food to feed some cats
The body of a woman which was found on Friday 5 December beside a ditch on the A-92 near Cúllar in Granada province is believed to be that of a 74-year-old British woman who went missing from Almeria province in September. Geraldine was reported missing on 18 September having last been seen in the hamlet of Contador (Chirivel), about four kilometres from the point where the body was found.
Geraldine, who suffers from a cognitive disorder, was last seen in Contador on the night of 17 September when she left home with food to feed some cats. At least one call was made to the 112 emergency service number at around 10.20pm to say that she had not returned home. Her husband reported her disappearance at around 11am the following day.
Geraldine has lived in the hamlet with her husband for more than 20 years. She was wearing dark pyjamas and white flip-flops with holes in them at the time of her disappearance. For weeks, search teams scoured a radius of more than four kilometres around the town centre, with the intervention of helicopters, drones, specialised dogs and the Granada mountain rescue team. Chirivel town hall asked farmers and people doing sport to remain vigilant when in the area and to help in the search for any clues that could help to find Geraldine.
Autopsy
The newspaper Ideal has learned that in the next few days an autopsy will reveal the causes of death, which for the moment are unknown. The body was found on the left-hand side of the ditch, at kilometre 80 of the A-92, in the direction of Granada. The judicial protocol has been activated and the Guardia Civil has taken charge of the investigation.
Despite official confirmation, Chirivel town hall has communicated via its social media the "sad news of the death" of the British resident. "On behalf of the entire municipal corporation and our municipality, we express our deepest condolences to her family, friends and loved ones at this time of great sorrow," it said.
The town hall also thanked the Guardia Civil, Civil Protection, Emergency Service 112, GREA, environmental officer, firefighters, Local Police, Cúllar and Oria town halls for their "work, coordination and dedication" provided during the last three months to try to find the missing woman. The message also highlighted the work of "all the local volunteers who have participated intensively in the search and support work since she was reported missing".
The town hall also asked for the "maximum respect for the family" and thanked "the understanding and support of all the citizens" who in recent weeks have been involved in the search for the woman by teams and in radiuses of more than four kilometres around the town centre. Helicopters, drones, specialised dogs and the Granada mountain rescue team have also been involved.
