In a statement released on Monday, Carlethia "Carlee" Nichole Russell, a 25-year-old nursing student from Alabama who initially told police she had been kidnapped, acknowledged she had not been.
When she called 911 on July 13 to report seeing a toddler by the side of the road, a massive search for Russell got under way. On July 15, she returned home and informed Hoover police officers that she had been kidnapped in a brief statement.
In the days that followed, police claimed they were unable to confirm the majority of Russell's claims about being apprehended. Police believed they would finally be seeing Russell again on Monday, but instead, Russell's lawyer sent a statement via email, according to Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis.
During a press conference, Derzis read out the statement on behalf of Russell's attorney, "We ask for your prayers for Carlee as she addresses her issues and attempts to move forward." Carlee is apologizing once more and requesting your prayers after realizing her error in this situation.
Even though they created a timeline of the days leading up to Russell's disappearance, police are still unsure of where she was during the roughly 49 hours after she vanished. The timeline includes a few "very strange" online searches, according to Derzis.
According to police, Russell looked up "Do you have to pay for an Amber Alert" on July 11. Russell looked up the Birmingham bus station and bus ticket information online the day she vanished. She looked up tips on how to steal cash from a register undetected. Russell also looked up the movie "Taken" online, which is about a woman who is kidnapped and the subsequent mission to save her.
On the day of her disappearance, around 8:20 p.m. local time, Russell left work in Birmingham, which is about 10 miles from Hoover. Her exit from the office is captured on surveillance footage along with a bathrobe, a roll of toilet paper, and other items that the police claim she kept "concealed."
Before going to a Target on Highway 280, the Alabama woman placed an order for food from a nearby restaurant at The Colonnade shopping center and picked it up. She spent the remainder of the evening in the store parking lot after purchasing some Cheez-Its and granola bars.
According to police, Russell called 911 at 9:34 p.m. to report a toddler on the road and claimed she had stopped to check on the child. On Wednesday, investigators claimed there was never any proof of a child on the road.
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Derzis read during the press conference on Monday on behalf of Russell's attorney, "My client did not see a baby on the side of the road."
Within five minutes of being dispatched, Hoover police responding to Russell's 911 call arrived on the scene, according to the police. Although Russell had vanished, police discovered her car, cellphone, wig, and purse. The bag contained her Apple Watch. Her Target-purchased snacks were no longer available.
On July 15, when Russell got home, she told police a man had emerged from the woods and murmured that he was checking on the child, according to officials. She claimed a man grabbed her, pushed her over a fence, and into a car. The next thing Russell recalled was being in a truck trailer with the man, who she described as having orange hair, and a woman. Furthermore, she claimed to have heard a baby crying.
Russell claimed that after making her getaway, she was apprehended, put in a car, and given a blindfold. She claimed there were no ties around her, and she added that her alleged captors claimed they didn't want to leave scars on her wrists. Russell informed the police that she eventually managed to flee.
On July 13, 2023, Derzis read on behalf of Russell's attorney, "There was no kidnapping," on that day.
The statement claims that after she vanished, Russell remained in the Hoover region. She was alone at the time and didn't have any assistance. Derzis read on behalf of Russell's legal representative, "This was a single act done by herself."
According to Derzis, police and the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office are currently discussing potential criminal charges in the case. He stated that prosecutors would decide on the charges.
In order to gather more information, officers will speak with Russell's attorney on Tuesday. They haven't had another chance to talk to Russell. Police are still unsure of Russell's disappearance. Derzis said, "I wish I could tell you. Only Carlee and possibly her attorney, in my opinion, are aware.
When she called 911 on July 13 to report seeing a toddler by the side of the road, a massive search for Russell got under way. On July 15, she returned home and informed Hoover police officers that she had been kidnapped in a brief statement.
In the days that followed, police claimed they were unable to confirm the majority of Russell's claims about being apprehended. Police believed they would finally be seeing Russell again on Monday, but instead, Russell's lawyer sent a statement via email, according to Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis.
During a press conference, Derzis read out the statement on behalf of Russell's attorney, "We ask for your prayers for Carlee as she addresses her issues and attempts to move forward." Carlee is apologizing once more and requesting your prayers after realizing her error in this situation.
Even though they created a timeline of the days leading up to Russell's disappearance, police are still unsure of where she was during the roughly 49 hours after she vanished. The timeline includes a few "very strange" online searches, according to Derzis.
According to police, Russell looked up "Do you have to pay for an Amber Alert" on July 11. Russell looked up the Birmingham bus station and bus ticket information online the day she vanished. She looked up tips on how to steal cash from a register undetected. Russell also looked up the movie "Taken" online, which is about a woman who is kidnapped and the subsequent mission to save her.
On the day of her disappearance, around 8:20 p.m. local time, Russell left work in Birmingham, which is about 10 miles from Hoover. Her exit from the office is captured on surveillance footage along with a bathrobe, a roll of toilet paper, and other items that the police claim she kept "concealed."
Before going to a Target on Highway 280, the Alabama woman placed an order for food from a nearby restaurant at The Colonnade shopping center and picked it up. She spent the remainder of the evening in the store parking lot after purchasing some Cheez-Its and granola bars.
According to police, Russell called 911 at 9:34 p.m. to report a toddler on the road and claimed she had stopped to check on the child. On Wednesday, investigators claimed there was never any proof of a child on the road.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM WAYNEDUPREE.COM
Derzis read during the press conference on Monday on behalf of Russell's attorney, "My client did not see a baby on the side of the road."
Within five minutes of being dispatched, Hoover police responding to Russell's 911 call arrived on the scene, according to the police. Although Russell had vanished, police discovered her car, cellphone, wig, and purse. The bag contained her Apple Watch. Her Target-purchased snacks were no longer available.
On July 15, when Russell got home, she told police a man had emerged from the woods and murmured that he was checking on the child, according to officials. She claimed a man grabbed her, pushed her over a fence, and into a car. The next thing Russell recalled was being in a truck trailer with the man, who she described as having orange hair, and a woman. Furthermore, she claimed to have heard a baby crying.
Russell claimed that after making her getaway, she was apprehended, put in a car, and given a blindfold. She claimed there were no ties around her, and she added that her alleged captors claimed they didn't want to leave scars on her wrists. Russell informed the police that she eventually managed to flee.
On July 13, 2023, Derzis read on behalf of Russell's attorney, "There was no kidnapping," on that day.
The statement claims that after she vanished, Russell remained in the Hoover region. She was alone at the time and didn't have any assistance. Derzis read on behalf of Russell's legal representative, "This was a single act done by herself."
According to Derzis, police and the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office are currently discussing potential criminal charges in the case. He stated that prosecutors would decide on the charges.
In order to gather more information, officers will speak with Russell's attorney on Tuesday. They haven't had another chance to talk to Russell. Police are still unsure of Russell's disappearance. Derzis said, "I wish I could tell you. Only Carlee and possibly her attorney, in my opinion, are aware.
