MT. DORA, Fla. — Mount Dora police are preparing to search a local pond for the remains of Nicole Baldwin, a woman who has been missing since November 2023. Detectives believe Baldwin is deceased and are utilizing a specialized search otter to help locate her body after the animal indicated a potential discovery in the water.
Investigators have identified a person of interest in the disappearance, citing a potential motive involving a “strange dynamic” within the Baldwin family. Baldwin was last seen following an argument at her home and though her body has never been found, police state they are actively following leads and do not consider the investigation a cold case.
Baldwin was last seen at her home on Nov. 2, 2023. Her daughter, Alisha Baldwin, described her mother as a devoted parent who was always focused on her children. “She’s very loving. She just woke up every day and had her children in mind,” Baldwin said. On the night she vanished, an argument reportedly occurred inside the residence involving her youngest children.
Baldwin went to the family home the day after her mother disappeared following a text message from her father, Brett Baldwin. The text stated that a man had come to pick up Nicole and that she was not home. However, when Alisha arrived, she discovered her mother’s essential belongings were still at the house. “Her purse was just in the bathroom. Her phone was in the bathroom. Her wallet was in the bathroom. It was all set up in such a weird spot,” Baldwin said.
Baldwin is currently serving a prison sentence for charges unrelated to the disappearance. Detectives noted that he has denied having any involvement in his wife’s disappearance. While investigators have identified a person of interest, they have not publicly named the individual, stating only that the potential motive relates to what they called a strange family dynamic.
The investigation has recently focused on a pond in Mount Dora using an Asian small-clawed otter named Splash. Splash is trained to detect human remains underwater by identifying scents and releasing air bubbles to the surface to help divers pinpoint locations. The otter has already indicated a “hit” in the pond near the Baldwin home. According to his handler, Splash has participated in more than 20 missions and has assisted in locating 20 bodies.
Police emphasized that the case is not considered cold as they continue to follow up on various leads. Previous search efforts included draining a pond in DeLand and using search dogs at the Mount Dora site. Detectives stated that while some delays have been weather-related, they remain committed to finding out what happened to Baldwin.
A formal search of the Mount Dora pond is expected to take place in the next few weeks as weather conditions cooperate. Divers and investigators will return to the site where Splash indicated interest to search for remains.
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