Reappearance of Missing Woman Raises Questions

Melissa Kennedy, the college student whose family had thought she was missing before she suddenly reappeared, will not be charged with any crimes. Detectives were trying to figure out why she ended up in Southamptown Town, where she had been for two weeks before calling authorities, having noticed a missing person report about herself. The Times account noted Kennedy had hitched a ride after getting to Grand Central; she stayed at the home of the driver, Dennis Schmidt, a deliveryman in Southampton Town for two weeks. Kennedy's mother calls Schmidt a "guardian angel." Newsday reports that Kennedy's father, a teacher at Stuyvesant, said, "We're supposed to just let her be," in accordance to police suggestion. Sources also told Newsday that Kennedy may be suffering from psychological problems. Kennedy's mother blamed stress from college for her daughter's behavior.

The recent anxiety of college students that is leading to suicides is troubling, so in spite of the odd story, we're happy Kennedy turned up okay. Hopefully she'll get the care and attention she needs.