Portland veterinarian Stacey Addison, who was detained in East Timor for five months, is on her way home. She boarded a plane to the U.S. after being released Monday night.
Although never charged with a crime, Addison was arrested last September in the southeast Asian country when she shared a taxi with a stranger who was arrested for possessing methamphetamine. She was told investigation of the incident might take a year. In December, KOIN-TV captured her despair:
(Addison) “It’s really stressful. There’s a lot of uncertainty. No one seems to be able to give me a straight answer. It’s really, really scary.”
Addison had been traveling the world since January 2013. Oregon’s U.S. senators, who worked with the State Department to bring Addison home, celebrated her release Tuesday.
Senator Jeff Merkley:
(Merkley) “This is terrific news for Stacey, for her family, and for all the Oregonians who have followed Stacey’s story and helped support her from afar. Stacey, welcome home.”