Mom-of-three who vanished 24 years ago found alive living secret life

A mom-of-three who went missing from her family home in North Carolina 24 years ago has since been found in the very same state.

On December 9, 2001, Michele Hundley Smith left her home in Stoneville, North Carolina.

The 38-year-old mom of three told her family she was going Christmas shopping in Martinsville, Virginia, but she never returned home.

Her eldest daughter was aged 19 at the time and wasn't living at home, but her two other children, 14-year-old Amanda and an eight-year-old son woke the next morning to find their mom hadn't come back.

In an interview with Dateline, as quoted by NBC News, Amanda recalled their mom kissing them goodnight and leaving around 8:30pm to go shopping.

She said it wasn't unusual for Michele to go shopping in the evening or to travel to Martinsville, the destination only a short 30-minute drive away.

The family 'expected her back within a couple of hours' but when her father woke at around 12:30am he found Michele wasn't there.

Michele Hundley Smith went missing in 2001 (Facebook/ Bring Michele Hundley Smith Home)

Amanda said: "She had left before, like if they had an argument or something, but would just go to my grandma’s house and come back the next day. But this was different. She wasn’t at my grandma’s. She wasn’t anywhere."

The family reported her missing to Rockingham County Sheriff's Office, local searches were carried out, but there was no sign of the in the family's 1995 Pontiac Trans Sport van or Michele.

And despite detectives being 'in and out' of the family's lives for 'years after,' alongside the family working tirelessly to raise awareness of their mom's case, Michele was never found - until now.

Michele's family and Rockingham County Sheriff's Office have worked tirelessly to try and find her over the past 24 years (Rockingham County Sheriff's Office)

In 2020, on the 20-year anniversary of Michele's disappearance, Rockingham County Sheriff's Office shared another news release seeking information about 'missing person' Michele Lyn Hundley Smith.

And now, Rockingham County deputies have revealed they've finally located Michele off the back of new information from a nationwide law enforcement network.

The office said it doesn't expect to file any charges.

Michelle was alive in her home state of North Carolina, however, she reportedly told authorities she doesn't want anyone to know exactly where she is, WFMY News 2 reports.

Barbara Byrd, Michele's cousin, told the outlet: "I kind of want to go outside and scream, 'She's alive, she's alive.'"

Breaking down in tears, Barbara reflected how finding out Michele is 'alive' is what 'matters right now'.

However, she questioned what 'made' Michele 'leave' all those years ago.

Michele's cousin has spoken out following the news (YouTube/ WFMY News 2)

Noting she's not angry and simply hopes to reconnect, Barbara asked a question weighing on the mind of many: "What happened?"

Michele's daughter took to Facebook page 'Bring Michele Hundley Smith Home' to 'thank everyone for their support and their love' alongside admit she's feeling conflicting emotions at her mom being found.

Reflecting on the 'whirlwind' few days, the post asks people to 'leave [their] accusations and assumptions' and 'respect' their 'hurting' family.

Defending her father from any comments, she turned to her mom, stating: "As far as my opinions and feelings on my mom... I am ecstatic, I am p*ssed, 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 bc I don't even know...

"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."