She Found the Stolen Amelia Earhart Statue — Then Faced Suspicion and No Reward

Heart’s Content, Newfoundland — What began as a routine walk with her dog turned into a fraught discovery for Elaine Traverse: the broken remains of the Amelia Earhart statue that had been stolen from nearby Harbour Grace in April. Traverse, who is disabled and cannot walk long distances, says a dog’s urgent need for a bathroom break led her and her adult son along a trail where they encountered the bronze figure cut into pieces.

The bronze monument, which commemorated Earhart’s 1928 solo transatlantic flight launch from Harbour Grace and had stood in Spirit of Harbour Grace Park since 2007, vanished on the morning of April 24. Donors raised a $25,000 reward to help locate the statue, which officials feared had been taken for scrap metal.

Traverse says she found the statue in August, several miles from Harbour Grace, with the figure divided into five sections and partially concealed by heavy vegetation. She reported the discovery to town officials and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). She says she was told not to move the pieces and to wait for authorities — a wait she describes as lasting several days while she returned twice daily to ensure the statue remained where she’d left it.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers stand next the damaged Amelia Earhart statue on August 11, after it was found abandoned off a rural roadway. - Royal Canadian Mounted Police

"Oh my God," Traverse recalled thinking when she first saw the figure. "We both passed a lie detector test saying we had nothing to do with stealing the statue or knew anything about it."

Despite reporting the find, Traverse says she was not publicly credited. Town statements and RCMP releases that followed credited only "a tip from the public" with leading officers to the recovered pieces. When she spoke with police, an investigator warned that she should expect close scrutiny — even the possibility of being treated as a suspect.

Traverse believes suspicion may have fallen on her because her son, who accompanied her and has a prior conviction for copper theft, was mentioned in conversations with authorities. She says he was actually in jail at the time of the theft, and both she and her son passed polygraph tests denying involvement. The RCMP and Harbour Grace officials have declined to comment in detail, citing privacy and an active investigation.

Surveillance footage released by the town showed headlights approaching the park the night the statue was taken, followed by screeching tires and a metallic sound. The clip was too dark to identify people. Four months after the recovery, the town has arranged for a local artist to reassemble and reinforce the bronze ahead of a rededication ceremony planned for next spring. The town said its insurer covered restoration costs except for the deductible.

Photo taken by Elaine Traverse's son when the stolen Amelia Earhart statue was discovered. It had been cut into five pieces. - Elaine Traverse

Traverse says she has received no reward and no formal apology. Instead, she reports a damaged reputation as rumors circulated in the small community. "A lot of people are blaming me for stuff that I’m not doing," she said. "They’re posting all kinds of stuff about myself and my family, and it’s not right."

The RCMP maintains the investigation is ongoing and that the identity of those responsible remains unknown. Harbour Grace officials have said updates will be shared as appropriate. For now, the statue’s physical restoration is underway, while questions about who took it — and why the person who reported its recovery was not publicly acknowledged — remain unresolved.

Key Facts: The statue was stolen from Spirit of Harbour Grace Park on April 24; it was found cut into five pieces in August. Donors had offered a $25,000 reward. The RCMP continues to investigate.