Mother-of-Three Located Alive After 24-Year Disappearance in North Carolina
A North Carolina mother who vanished 24 years ago has been found alive and living a double life, according to recent police reports. Michele Hundley Smith, then 38 years old, disappeared in December 2001 after leaving her home to go Christmas shopping, sparking an extensive manhunt across North Carolina and Virginia.
Decades-Long Mystery Unravels with Police Tip-Off
The FBI had previously failed to track down Ms. Smith, with missing person flyers from the time stating she 'would not leave her kids by choice' and labeling her as 'endangered.' However, on Friday, officers received a crucial tip-off that led them to her location in North Carolina, where she was found 'alive and well.' Her exact current whereabouts have not been disclosed to the public.
After years of distraught searching, Ms. Smith's family was notified of her discovery. Her cousin, Barbara Byrd, expressed a mix of relief and confusion in an interview with WFMYNews 2, saying, 'I kind of want to go outside and scream, "She's alive, she's alive."' Byrd added, 'My biggest question is to her... what happened all those years ago in December? What made you leave? What happened?' She also noted, 'I never thought Michele was dead. I knew she was alive. It's just a feeling that I had my whole life.'
Family Reacts with Emotional Turmoil and Hope
One of Ms. Smith's children shared their feelings on Facebook, describing the weekend as 'a whirlwind of emotions.' In a heartfelt post, they wrote, 'As far as my opinions and feelings on my mom... I am ecstatic, I am p***ed, I am heartbroken, I am all over the map! Will I have a relationship once more with my mom? Honestly I can't answer that because I don't even know.'
The child continued, '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. When my mom was a part of my daily life, she showed me a love and bond that will never ever be forgotten. There were mother-daughter arguments of course, but right now all I can remember are the smiles we shared, the times together that were happy, and the love I felt!'
This case highlights the complexities of long-term missing person investigations and the profound emotional impact on families. Authorities have not released further details on Ms. Smith's circumstances during her disappearance or the nature of her double life, leaving many questions unanswered for now.
