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Gloucester woman found after 24 hours missing

E-mail|Link|Comments () November 27, 2009 05:20 PM

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Tina Cavanaugh (Family photo via Gloucester Police)

By Michaela Stanelun and Jack Nicas, Globe Correspondents

A Gloucester woman missing for more than 24 hours was found near her home today after spending a night in the woods, police said.

“All I can say is that she’s been located and she’s being treated medically,” said Gloucester police officer John Foote.

Tina Cavanaugh, 42, left her home at 4 p.m. yesterday after a small dispute following Thanksgiving dinner, police said. She was found in West Gloucester today at about 4:30 p.m., Foote said.

The stay-at-home mother to a 5-year-old boy left her Becker Lane home without a cellphone, money, or purse, said Gloucester police detective Steve Mazzone.

"She allegedly had been acting a little peculiar, and her family asked why she was acting peculiar," Mazzone said. "She got a little upset and walked outside and around the corner."

Mazzone said the family, which included her parents and siblings, believed Cavanaugh just wanted to get some air, but after 10 minutes went by and she did not return, they called the police.

"She volunteers at a local school for her son, she volunteers for the animal shelter, and she's a very happy woman," Mazzone said. "She was up at 4 a.m. getting Thanksgiving dinner prepared."

Gloucester Police, along with the Massachusetts State Police and Environmental Police, searched throughout the night, and Mazzone said the weather did not help.

Her family declined comment today.