Don't Rush to Judge Ohio's Runaway Mom, Expert Says

(April 26) -- Controversy over the missing Ohio mother found in Florida with her lover last week flared up again today following a report that Tiffany Tehan intends to stay with the man for whom she left her family.

Despite this most recent revelation, though, at least one expert says it's too soon for anyone to judge Tehan's actions.

"Men have done this for many years and it is not front-page news when they do," Nicole S. Urdang, a 20-year psychotherapist and licensed mental health counselor in Buffalo, N.Y., told AOL News. "I think is interesting that when a woman does it, it is."

The news that Tehan plans to stay with her lover, Tre B. Hutcherson, was announced on NBC's "Today Show."

"Now she says that she wants to stay with her new boyfriend for good, telling NBC News, 'We're in love,' " said Jeff Rossen, a reporter for the morning news show.

Tehan, who did not appear on the "Today Show," has not offered an explanation for why she ran off, other than her initial statement to police, in which she said she wanted to "start a new life."

The case, which attracted national media attention, has left many feeling confused and angry toward Tehan, who not only left behind her husband of eight years, but also her 1-year-old daughter.

While it's too soon to determine what motivated Tehan, Urdang speculated it could be related to a strict religious upbringing. Tehan is the daughter of a former pastor in Hillsboro, Ohio, and she attended a Baptist university. Both she and her husband were also heavily involved with their church.

"The restrictive nature of that kind of religious upbringing, which can be very strict and rigid, could, on some conscious level, make someone want to rebel," said Urdang, who has never treated Tehan. "The more restrictive [the upbringing], the more people want to break free."

But Urdang said it's likely only Tehan and her family are privy to the whole story.

"When people do things that seem bizarre or out of character, it is hard for other people to understand the motivation. ... You never know what someone is thinking," Urdang said. "I know of women and men who have said, 'I left my family because they are better off without me. My children were better off without me.' "

Whatever the reason behind Tehan's actions, Urdang said, the most important thing is for Tehan's family to support her.

"Since she is an adult, they don't get to decide what she does," Urdang said. "There is no way of knowing what an intervention would lead to. She might regret what she did and try to reconnect with her child, or the guilt and shame could propel her not to connect with her daughter again.

"The best thing they could do is support her and try to understand that something was obviously was not right for her."

Tehan's husband reported her missing on April 17. She was last seen early that morning when she left her home in Xenia, Ohio, to go shopping. The next day, Tehan's green Ford Explorer was found abandoned in a Dayton suburb. The vehicle had a flat tire, and the keys were locked inside.

After a nationwide search was launched, on April 21 police discovered Tehan in the company of Hutcherson, a Dayton man with whom she had been involved in a secret relationship.

Neither Hutcherson nor Tehan faces federal charges; however, Xenia police, who spent more than 200 hours of overtime on the case, say local prosecutors have issued subpoenas in the case to determine whether charges should be filed or whether any of the money spent on the search can be recovered.