ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, December 4, 1996            TAG: 9612040072
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C-3  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JON CAWLEY STAFF WRITER

WOMAN, FAMILY REUNITED AFTER CALL TO SHELTER

A Martinsville woman missing since early Sunday was reunited with her family Tuesday morning after spending Monday night in a Roanoke homeless shelter.

Maudie Russ, 49, approached a Roanoke police officer on Ninth Street Southeast Monday night, said the officer, who did not want to give his name. "She just walked up and asked if I could give her a ride home to Martinsville."

The officer told Russ he couldn't take her to Martinsville; because she did not have any money or a place to stay, he drove her to The Rescue Mission of Roanoke on Fourth Street Southeast and checked her in. The officer was unaware that Russ was missing. She went undetected there until Roanoke police Sgt. Stan Smith called during the night to see if she had shown up.

Roanoke police then contacted Martinsville police and the family was notified, Martinsville police Sgt. T.C. Porter said.

"I was out looking for her until 1 a.m. because people kept calling to tell us they had seen her. Then about 2 a.m., my aunt called and said [the police] had found her," Donna Via, Russ' daughter said. Russ' three sisters then left Martinsville about 3 a.m. to get her.

Since early Sunday, Russ apparently walked day and night from restaurant to restaurant, where she was given coffee and a place to sit down - for a while.

When Russ' family picked her up in Roanoke, "She seemed a little afraid of the dark, so we thought something might have happened, but she said it was just scary walking in the dark," Via said.

Russ returned home safe but still disoriented. Her family let her sleep for a while before taking Russ to a counselor for evaluation. She is now in a psychiatric hospital in Danville where she will stay while she is put back on her medicine, Via said.

"Our primary concern is that the person is found, is OK and gets back with their family. Now I hope the family will take some steps to resolve the problem [of Russ' somewhat regular disappearances],'' Porter said.

Prior to this incident, Russ' most recent disappearance occurred two to three weeks ago. That time she was found in Charlotte, N.C., Porter said. "She's becoming somewhat of a celebrity."

Via said incidents such as her disappearance happen when she gets stressed out, so the family wants to reduce some of that stress. "I asked her if she wanted to move in with me." Russ didn't much like that idea.

"She's real independent and wants to live on her own," Via said.

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