Family of N.J. woman relieved she was found alive

Hamilton police say they have not officially questioned the 44-year-old state employee and mother of two.

HAMILTON - As Christine Rosie recovers in a Trenton hospital from dehydration and other injuries related to being found in remote wooded area off Kuser Road, questions remain about the seven calendar days she was missing.

Her family and Hamilton police say they were not any closer Wednesday in finding answers.

Thomas Rosie said he and his family are just relieved Rosie is alive and recovering. Hamilton police say they have not officially questioned the 44-year-old state employee and mother of two.

Christine RosieKevin Shea | For NJ.com 

Rosie said he keeps getting the same message from medical officials: "They don't know how she's still alive, and she has a strong will to live."

At Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton, Christine Rosie is being treated with fluids for dehydration, she's breathing on her own and a CT scan was negative, Rosie said.

"They say she'll come through, but it will be a slow process," he said.

Rosie said his wife, who had been living in Trenton the past year while dealing with personal problems, "hasn't mentioned anything" about the past week, like if she moved around, or was in the wooded area the whole time.

She can speak, but has not discussed her whereabouts, Thomas Rosie said.

Thomas Rosie said Christine was in the area near Interstate 295 for a considerable time, though, due to a number of scratches to her body, which indicate she was moving through stickler-type brush.

The family is just happy that when police called Tuesday evening and said they found her, police reported she was alive.

"It was just relief," Thomas Rosie said.

A member of the rescue team that located Christine Rosie - Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue - told Thomas Rosie he'd doing volunteer searches for 20 years he'd never found anybody alive missing for six plus days in Christine Rosie's situation.

Hamilton police Capt. James Stevens said lead investigator Detective Leonard Gadsby had not questioned Christine Rosie as of Wednesday afternoon, and his intention was to give her some time to recover. "That comes first," Stevens said.

Until then, police won't know much about where Rosie was, but the department is interested in having her "help us fill in the blanks."

"We will have an opportunity speak with her to find out the sequence of events and to find out what happened," Stevens said.

Stevens reiterated that police had received reports of Christine Rosie in the Kuser Road area near Interstate 295 after she went missing last Wednesday, but none were confirmed.

Christine Rosie's car was found idling on the shoulder of Kuser Road near the highway overpass early last Wednesday, in the same location where she was discovered Tuesday.

Stevens also said detectives do not believe there is any connection between Christine Rosie and Philip Lombardo, who were both missing for about the same period of time and located within an hour of each other in the same part of town.

Lombardo was located at a gas station near Kuser Plaza about 45 minutes before searchers located Rosie.

"I cannot link these two individuals together. Nobody's seen them together," Stevens said.

Lombardo, police discovered, had been seen by shop keepers in Kuser Plaza for several days and some were feeding him, thinking he was homeless. A concerned citizen finally called police, alerting officer to Lombardo's presence.

Stevens said Lombardo, who suffers from mental disabilities and has been reported missing in the past.

"There's been no reference between these two," Stevens said.

Christine Rosie was battling alcoholism, but Thomas Rosie said, "We don't know that that played any part in this."

He said he and family members are curious as well as to where Christine was, but for now, Thomas Rosie said his family is grateful.

"We just want to thank everybody who searched, who put out fliers, anyone who helped to locate her."

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.