Christa Rogaliner found SAFE in Maryland today: Had been missing for more than 1 month

WMAL-AM 630 Radio - Washington, DC | February 1, 2004

[Freedom2specul8]

That's a really great idea...it is a way to repay the community for their time..and she can benefit from it in numerous ways.

[Treasa]

I guess it will be up to the family to make her aware of the effects her actions caused. I do wonder what she feared so much? Maybe thats something her family needs to discover as well. Kids blow things up in thier mind (some grown-ups too.) I'm still overjoyed at the outcome.
I can see me telling mine, now thats you're safe I'm gonna murder ya!
(ONLY IN JEST OF COURSE) :)
Trease

[GummyIII]

I was going to say the same thing. An apology is always a good way to start, then volunteering to the community to serve them in some way as partial restitution for all they did. I don't believe she can ever make it up totally, but folks will overlook a lot if she'll do this. Frankly, if she were my daughter, I'd make sure she did what I said above and more. I don't think she thought things through, ran rather admit wrong-doing, and then was too embarrassed to face folks after worrying them so much. I suspect she's a child who tries to always be perfect because she thinks she has to, has probably been very sheltered, and has no common sense with the real world. I was like that at her age. I still tell my parents they kept me waaaaaaaaaaaaayy too naive for my own good. I went away from home to college and I was in for a rude awakening.

[Jackie-O]

I'm still blown away by the fact that she stayed away thru the Holidays..without so much as even a phone call. Another thing that I would do if I were her Mother...counseling, immediately, before she turns 18.

[r9etb]

The elderly woman is not a suspect in the case. Detectives believe she was a Good Samaritan who took Christa in and gave her a place to stay.

As these things go, I think this has to count as a best-case scenario. The old lady is guilty of poor judgement, I suppose, but dang -- if not for her that girl might have ended up a prostitute, and dead in 3 years.

[jwalburg]

We were discussing Dru Sjodin, not Rogaliner. That did sound weird otherwise!

[Freedom2specul8]

I was so near-sighted when I heard about her safe return...I wasn't not seeing the big picture.
1. a tipster found her, she didn't return to her family on her own...
2. how much time and effort was put into this by her community..

It was so exciting to hear the good news, that I didn't even consider how it affected everyone else. Gummy, talk about being a naive teen...I can totally relate to that..it was a liability so to speak..

My oldest daughter FORCED all of us into a different kind of wake up call, but would I say my other kids are as street smart as they should be..probably not. I really don't know.

[Freedom2specul8]

You are so right...especially if she wound up in a big city.

[Freedom2specul8]

I'd like to know how she met the older lady, what she told her, and how the older lady dealt with the holidays with Christa....did she offer suggestions to call home etc.. Regardless, I would never ask the family these questions. They need privacy and time to heal..

[Freedom2specul8]

Wrt: the fear and "Kids blow things up in thier mind (some grown-ups too.)"

I think that had a lot to do with it..maybe she didn't know the legal system and was scared of the consequences for being unlicensed and driving a car...etc.. and what her family would do....fear can really warp one's perception and state of mind...

[Bigg Red]

Did you ever stop to think that maybe she ran away because her family put her through hell?

**

Yes, I did think of that. You may be right.

[Devil_Anse]

To make amends, all she has to do is get good grades in school, attend faithfully, go anywhere else her parents want her to go, stay home when her parents want her home, work if she can, graduate, and then go to college or work. Oh, yeah--and not indulge in the constant sarcasm for which teenagers are known.

IOW, I think the best way she can make amends is to help herself be a well-adjusted person! Hope she makes it!

[Freedom2specul8]

"help herself be a well- adjusted person"

AMEN!

I was hoping to hear more news today...

[Teacup]

God Bless you Kim, you're such a sweety. Lord knows I know all to well about wayward daughters, LOL. I told Mr. Teacup about this young lady's return, we both understand how emotional young girls can get. I kept wondering why, this young girl didn't just telephone her mother to tell her she was alright and that she'd be home sooner or later.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

``CHRISTA IS HOME SAFE AND SOUND!!!" read a statement issued by the Rogaliner family. ``Our daughter is now home with us. We are overjoyed and want to share our heartfelt THANKS to EVERYONE that helped make this possible."

"And now if you excuse us...we are going to make her wish she had never been found...."

Just a joke and unless you have had kids that have put you through worry hell it might be hard to understand.

I am sure there is more to the family dynamics than we know. I hope this has taught them both, parents and child, life is too precious for these situations.