A North Carolina mother of three who vanished more than two decades ago has been found alive, and authorities say she has now shared the reason behind her sudden disappearance.
Michele Hundley Smith, now 62, was located earlier this month in North Carolina, 24 years after she went missing in December 2001. According to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page, Smith told investigators she left voluntarily due to personal struggles at the time.
“Let me just say there were no allegations of any foul play regarding her leaving,” Page said. “But according to Ms. Smith, she said she left… due to ongoing domestic issues at the time.”
He added that she “did not elaborate on that,” and noted that there were no prior records of domestic issues connected to her case, People reported.
Smith was 38 when she disappeared after leaving her home in Eden, North Carolina, on Dec. 9, 2001, to go Christmas shopping at a Kmart in Martinsville, Virginia. She never returned. Her husband reported her missing soon afterwards.
At the time, Smith had three children: a 14-year-old daughter named Amanda, a nearly 8-year-old son, and a 19-year-old daughter. For years, her disappearance remained a mystery.
In 2018, Amanda created a Facebook page to gather tips and keep the search alive. Now, after learning that her mother is alive, she has shared a mix of emotions.
“I am ecstatic, I am pissed, I am heartbroken, I am all over the map!” she wrote. She also reflected on the possibility of rebuilding their relationship.
“Will I have a relationship once more with my mom? Honestly, I can’t answer that because I don’t even know… My initial reaction would be yes, absolutely, but then I think of all the hurt… But even then … My mom is only human, just as we all are.”
Amanda acknowledged the complexity of her feelings, saying, “Everything I have been through in life, I can absolutely understand taking off and leaving… I am not saying that she gets off scot-free without accountability or responsibility bc she absolutely needs to do that… What I am saying is that I am a runner as well and while this isn’t something to be proud of at all, it’s a part of being human.”
Authorities confirmed that Smith was found “alive and well” at an undisclosed location and that her current whereabouts will remain private at her request. Officials have informed her family of the development, though it remains unclear whether Smith has reconnected with them since being located.
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