Back home, missing woman contrite about 'uproar'

A Camden woman whose disappearance stirred a two-day effort by police and friends to find her, and a public plea from relatives to return home, said Wednesday that she was unaware of the "uproar" and that she just needed time to herself.

"At some point, you reach a point where you say, 'I need a break,' " said Valerie Frick, 61, who founded the Camden Children's Garden with her husband, Mike Devlin, and is director of education there. Devlin is a former city councilman.

The couple's high profile in Camden added to the mystery of Frick's whereabouts. At one point, family members were handing out missing-persons fliers and asking for the public's help through television and other news media.

Devlin reported Frick missing Sunday night from the 2900 block of Tuckahoe Road, where the two live.

Frick, who returned home Tuesday evening, said she had been "bombarded" by a number of issues.

"Living in Camden, people have to be pretty tough and pretty resilient," she said Wednesday. "I guess that sort of got worn away."

While Frick did not go into detail, Devlin said a burglary on their property this year and threats from the state to raze much of the children's garden had created stress for Frick.

The state has not followed through on its plan - which critics said was an attack on a waterfront attraction with Camden roots.

But doubt remains about the garden's future.

Frick said that after she left her Fairview street Sunday, she turned her phone off and did not check Facebook, where friends posted on her wall.

On Tuesday morning, a part-time worker at the garden told police he had seen Frick driving in Cooper River Park in Pennsauken. Later that day, Frick's niece said she was worried for Frick's safety, highlighting the concerns of other family and friends.

Frick said Wednesday that she was by herself the whole time, but declined to elaborate.

"I guess I should have thought more of it," she said. "It wasn't the first thing on my mind."

She wanted to thank those who searched for her, she said, and "apologize for causing an uproar. I know better now."