The daughter of a North Carolina woman missing for more than 20 years is unsure what her relationship will be like with her mom moving forward. Michele Hundley Smith disappeared in December 2001, leaving her three children.
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Recently, authorities discovered Smith was alive and well and still living in the state.
"On [Feb. 20], Sgt. A. Disher and Detective C. Worley made contact with Michele Hundley Smith at an undisclosed location within North Carolina, alive and well," the sheriff's office announced. "At her request, her current whereabouts will remain undisclosed."
The news came as a shock to the family, especially Smith's daughter Amanda. Amanda had been just 14 when her mother disappeared. According to NCB News, she's having a hard time adjusting to the news that her mom seemingly abandoned her.
"As far as my opinions and feelings on my mom... I am ecstatic, I am pissed, I am heartbroken, I am all over the map!" she wrote. "Will I have a relationship once more with my mom? Honestly I can't answer that bc I don't even know."
She added, "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."
North Carolina Woman Abandons Family
"I may completely forgive my mother at some point or it may be too much to forgive and I only try moving forward best I can, and I may choose to forget everything completely or I may never be able to forget," she continued.
Amanda is torn on whether or not to forgive the North Carolina woman. She's asking for compassion as she navigates these difficult emotions.
"But as I mentioned above, life is too short and we each are only human, we each make mistakes and have caused other souls pain in our time on this earth," she wrote. "Thank you again to all of you for your concern, your support, your love, your comforting words."
In 2001, Smith left to go to K-Mart in Virginia. She simply never came home. Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page confirmed that she was in good health.
He said, "According to Ms. Smith, she said she left due to ongoing domestic issues at the time, but did not elaborate on that." Page also said that they have reached out to the district attorney's office to see "if there are any considerations for any charges along the lines of abandonment."
"But right now we haven't had anything confirmed with the district attorney," he continued. "We're waiting on them to review the case and then respond back to us."
