Property where Elisabeth 'Lis' Nicholls found had been empty for years
Photo:
RNZ / Anna Sargent
Christchurch police have confirmed a
body found at a property
in the central city on Sunday is missing woman Elisabeth Nicholls.
The 79 year old, who suffered from dementia, walked out of the Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village in Riccarton on the evening of 4 June, only
hours after being admitted
for respite care.
On Sunday, Nicholls' body was discovered by police in Gracefield Avenue, just 250 metres from her home.
She was formally identified on Monday.
Gracefield Ave residents told RNZ they were shocked.
Mora Dickson, who lived a few doors down from where Nicholls was found, said people had not been out and about much because of the cold weather.
"It's a surprise. I wish I'd seen something," she said.
She said the property Nicholls was found at had been empty for years.
The Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village was run by Ryman Healthcare.
In a statement, Ryman chief operating officer Marsha Cadman said the company was supporting its residents and team members in the village and continuing to liaise with police.
"Ryman, along with our Margaret Stoddart Village team, are terribly saddened by the news that a body has been found in the search for Elisabeth Nicholls. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Elisabeth's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time," she said.
The company would work with Health NZ to look into what happened, a Ryman spokesperson said
Elisabeth Nicholls.
Photo:
Supplied
Nicholls was referred to the village for respite care by Health NZ.
"Our contracts with them set out the level of care to be provided. Margaret Stoddart Village provides only rest home level care, whereby residents are able to come and go independently. This is not a dementia care facility," the spokesperson said.
In a statement, Health New Zealand Te Waipounamu regional commissioner Chiquita Hansen said the agency acknowledged the past few weeks had been a distressing time for Nicholls' loved ones.
"We will work with Ryman to look into what happened, which is standard practice, but for now our priority is working with Police and family at this difficult time," she said.
Nicholls arrived at the retirement village on the morning of 4 June and was last seen at 6.01pm.
"At 6.20pm, team members at the village became aware that Elisabeth may have chosen to leave, on what was her first night at the village, and immediately commenced a search of the premise," Ryman said.
"A village search was undertaken including a search of each room, shared space and the rest home grounds, followed by contacting next of kin. As is standard protocol, if a resident is still unable to be located following this process, we then contact police."
The last confirmed sighting of Nicholls was over an hour later at the Chateau on the Park Hotel in Riccarton, about 500 metres from the retirement village.
Following her disappearance, police and Land Search and Rescue volunteers scoured areas of the city to find Nicholls.
Pleas were made for the public to check their backyards and anywhere she might have taken refuge.
In a statement, Nicholls' family said they were very saddened and relieved she had been found on Sunday.
The family was very grateful for everyone's efforts in looking for her, particularly police and members of the Christchurch public.
Detective Sergeant Luke Vaughan said on Sunday he hoped the discovery would help provide some closure for her family and loved ones.
The death would be referred to the coroner.
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Photo: Googlemaps One mother said her daughter began treatment at six, and another said their child's unfinished treatment left them with teeth that didn't line up and an incorrect bite. Another said their child had a twisted bottom jaw and incorrect bite while another said they'd paid $11,000 upfront and had 18 months of treatment and while "taking a break" the clinic shut. The parents complained of being unable to access files, get information out of the clinic, contact Kruger, and of being out-of-pocket. At least one said they reported the case to police and another said they were advised by the Dental Council to complain to the Privacy Commissioner to recover patient files and lodge a claim with the Disputes Tribunal to recover their money. RNZ spoke to Kruger in Panama, where his website advertises that he runs several businesses including consulting for dental and orthodontic practices, and another in tourism in Boquete. He said he was consulting to dentists in the United States and Australia by providing clear aligners and getting "lots of referrals". Kruger blamed the closure of the clinic on a Waikato orthodontist he alleged was "very aggressive against a dentist doing orthodontics because he felt they had to be a specialist which is nonsense". "I've seen orthodontists do terrible work." Asked what happened to the practice's 450 patients, Kruger answered: "Good question, I dunno. I wasn't allowed to talk to them. If I did I was going to get a $10,000 fine." He said at the time he encouraged patients on his website to start a "class action suit" against the Dental Council. "They've made this decision with no evidence, no proof whatsoever, and with me providing evidence that I've done no harm... that I'm not actually treating patients in New Zealand. "I'm working as a consultant to a company in Panama that was at that time providing clear aligners directly to the patient in New Zealand and they were being looked after by dentists who are registered in New Zealand." He claimed he wasn't treating the patients, only providing aligners to a dentist at True Alignment, and said he didn't own the practice. According to the Companies Office, Kruger was the sole director and shareholder of TSM, the company based in the same building as the practice at 82 Alpha St, when the last annual return was filed in June 2023. He is still listed as the current director and shareholder, however, he said TSM was a management company that managed staff at True Alignment. When asked about the money paid by Ferguson for her son's unfinished treatment, Kruger hung up. Kruger has operated dental practices in Cambridge under different names since 1993 including The Smile Center, Gentle Dental, Gentle Orthodontics and Growth Orthodontics. Gentle Orthodontics and Gentle Dental were put in liquidation in 2010 owing $481,000. Dental Council chief executive Marie MacKay said Kruger was registered with the council but did not hold a current practising certificate and could not legally practice in New Zealand. "Dr Kruger has previously publicly acknowledged that complaints against him were under investigation, however in accordance with privacy legislation, we are not able to disclose the details of any complaints or investigation." She said the Dental Council did not hold any authority over a practitioner's ability to register, practice, or provide clinical advice in any other jurisdiction than New Zealand.
