"Mom Who Said 'I'll Go Buy Christmas Presents' Vanishes and Is Found 24 Years Later... Refuses to See Family"

Identity confirmed in North Carolina
No signs of foul play, seen as voluntary disappearance
Declines contact with family
Daughter: "Happy, but filled with anger and confusion"

A woman in her 30s in the United States who suddenly disappeared after going out to buy Christmas presents has been found alive 24 years later, sending shockwaves through the local community.

On the 22nd (local time), the UK outlet the Daily Mail reported on the story of a woman who vanished 24 years ago and was recently found in another part of the same state.

A woman in her 30s who disappeared in the United States 24 years ago was recently revealed to be alive, shocking many. The photo is of Michelle Hundley Smith, who went missing in Eden, North Carolina. X

Michelle Hundley Smith, who went missing in December 2001 in Eden, North Carolina, was recently located in a different area within the same state.

At the time of her disappearance, Smith was a mother of three. She left home saying she was going to buy Christmas presents and then vanished along with the car she was driving. Her children were 19, 14, and 7 years old at the time, and the family was forced into a sudden separation without any explanation.

After the incident, U.S. law enforcement agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted a long-term search but failed to find any clear leads. The family had to live for many years with the possibility that she might have been the victim of a crime. A turning point came on the 19th. A new tip was submitted to investigators, rapidly accelerating the case, and the following day the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office identified her whereabouts, met her in person, and confirmed her identity.

According to authorities, Smith is believed to have been living without revealing her original identity. Her health is understood to be generally fine. However, she has reportedly expressed that she does not wish to have contact with her family and has asked that her exact place of residence not be disclosed. Police say they have so far found no indication of criminal involvement and are focusing on the possibility that she disappeared voluntarily, while continuing to investigate the specific circumstances.

Her family members are experiencing mixed emotions. Her daughter Amanda wrote on social media, "I am happy to hear that my mother is alive, but at the same time I am seething with anger and feel as if part of my heart is collapsing," adding, "I am not sure whether we will be able to rebuild our relationship." Her cousin Barbara Byrd also said, "All this time, I did not even know whether I should grieve or hold on to hope," and added, "Rather than blame her, I want to ask why she felt she had no choice but to leave back then."

Meanwhile, the Facebook page "Bring Michele Hundley Smith Home," which had been run in the hope of her return, is expected to be converted into a space to support other missing persons cases going forward.