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Mother Missing 24 Years Found Alive
25 Feb
Summary
- Woman vanished in 2001, later discovered safe in North Carolina.
- She was unhappy in marriage and struggled with alcohol.
- Family is processing the news, hoping for future contact.
Michele Hundley Smith, who vanished 24 years ago, has been discovered alive and well in North Carolina. Smith, 38, was last seen on December 9, 2001, while Christmas shopping in Martinsville, Virginia. Her family officially reported her missing three weeks later.
Investigators received new information leading them to Smith, now 62, on February 20. She has requested her location be kept private, impacting immediate family reunion prospects. Smith indicated ongoing domestic issues at the time of her departure, though details were not elaborated upon.
Her daughter, Amanda, revealed Smith struggled with alcohol and was unhappy in her marriage prior to disappearing. Smith's husband has since moved on, and her three children have married and started their own families. Despite the long absence, her family expressed a mix of emotions, including happiness and heartbreak, and hope for future contact.
