North Carolina woman who vanished 24 years ago tearfully reunites with daughter outside court

A North Carolina pistillate who vanished much than 2 decades ago, and was recovered live earlier this year, tearfully reunited with her girl connected Thursday.

Michele Hundley Smith appeared earlier a Rockingham, North Carolina County justice connected Thursday related to a DWI complaint successful November 2001.

Following her archetypal appearance, Smith was seen quickening her gait to tearfully clasp her daughter, Amanda Hundley, extracurricular of court.

The brace had not been unneurotic since the present gray-haired 63-year-old vanished from her hubby and 3 children 24 years ago.

Michele Hundley Smith, missing since 2001, reunited with girl Amanda aft being located successful North Carolina. (Fox News )

MISSING NORTH CAROLINA MOM FOUND ALIVE AFTER 24 YEARS REVEALS WHY SHE LEFT

"Amanda?" Hundley Smith could beryllium heard saying. "Your hairsbreadth wasn’t this length. We walked close by you. I didn’t admit you."

Hundley Smith was located connected Feb. 20 successful an undisclosed determination wrong North Carolina aft detectives received caller accusation astir her case, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office antecedently confirmed to Fox News Digital.

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Sheriff Sam Page said Smith told investigators she near her household of her ain accord and cited "ongoing home issues" arsenic the crushed for her disappearance. Page did not elaborate connected those issues, and investigators person said determination is nary grounds of foul play.

A pistillate who vanished from her North Carolina household 24 years agone reappeared and embraced her girl successful an affectional reunion connected Thursday, March 26. (Fox News)

Smith was 38 erstwhile she disappeared aft leaving her 3 children astatine an Eden, North Carolina, location connected Dec. 9, 2001, to spell Christmas buying astatine a K-Mart successful Martinsville, Virginia. Her conveyance was ne'er found, and she did not instrumentality home. Her hubby reported her missing aboriginal that month.

Over the ensuing decades, local, authorities and national agencies participated successful efforts to find her. Despite periodic appeals and flyers distributed successful the region, her whereabouts remained chartless for 24 years.

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Michelle Hundley Smith disappeared aft leaving her location successful North Carolina to spell Christmas buying successful Virginia successful December 2001.  (Bring Michelle Hundely Smith Home/Facebook)

The New York Post reported it had located Smith successful a trailer successful a agrarian assemblage adjacent the South Carolina authorities line. Smith told the outlet she is trying to marque amends with her girl and the household she walked retired connected decades ago.

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"My girl is forgiving me. We are successful contact, truthful permission maine alone," she told the outlet.

Smith's neighbors said she had "been present for years and years" and mostly keeps to herself.

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Hundley Smith posted $2,000 enslaved connected nonaccomplishment to look complaint related to a DWI from the period earlier she vanished. (Robeson County Sheriff's Office)

Smith appeared successful tribunal Thursday to reply to a DWI complaint from November 2001.

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On Nov. 11, 2001, the Eden Police Department issued a DWI charge. Smith failed to look successful tribunal Dec. 27, 2001, for that charge, the connection said.

On Feb. 25, 2026, Smith was taken into custody by the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office astatine the petition of Rockingham County authorities. She aboriginal posted a $2,000 bond. Her adjacent proceeding is April 23. 

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