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HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Houston police say a bad reaction to medication is to blame for the disappearance of sports reporter Courtney Roland who was found safe Monday morning in near The Galleria.
Police received a missing person report on Sunday after friends and family were unable to contact Roland following her disappearance on Saturday. Police say Roland's roommate said she received a text message from Roland about a suspicious man following her in a vehicle as she was returning home from work on Saturday. Roland had never arrived home that night.
"We believe at that point she was already having her reaction," said Capt. Mark Lentini, commander over the Houston Police Department Missing Persons Unit.
During the police investigation from Sunday into Monday morning, police say they found Roland's Jeep in the Ethan Allen parking lot of The Galleria with her cell phone and other belongings inside. Police say they also found Roland's purse at a Starbucks inside The Galleria. Police say Roland, 29, was also seen walking alone at a store inside The Galleria at around 5:40 p.m. Sunday.
"In her state of confusion, I think she kind of lost track of time and her awareness and I don't think that she was aware that she was being looked at as a missing person," said Capt. Lentini.
Police say they aren't sure yet what all transpired during the two nights and a day that Roland was missing, but they believe that she spent a significant amount of that time trying to find her cell phone by tracking it with an iPad. They say it appears she stayed in her car both nights.
Police say they don't believe any foul play or suspicious activity happened in this case and there is no evidence Roland has been assaulted.
Roland is a reporter for rivals.com. She also does TV sports segments on KUBE TV Channel 57, where she has worked with sportscaster Paul Gallant.
"She's very nice, she's very kind, and when you hear that about anyone, you're going to be pretty terrified, so I was glad to hear today that she was found," said Gallant. "I've never ever been under the impression that she was mentally out of it."
Police are not saying what medication Roland was using.