COPS SAY SHE SEARCHED AMBER ALERTS, MOVIE ‘TAKEN’ DAY OF DISAPPEARANCE… No Existing Threat to Public Safety
Alabama Woman, Carlee Russell, Returns Home After Encountering Child Walking on Interstate
Update: The Chief of Hoover Police says there’s no risk to public safety in the Carlee Russell disappearance case … implying she was never abducted as claimed. Chief Nick Derzis addressed the media Wednesday to share the facts uncovered by investigators in the time since Carlee returned home.
Original Story:
Carlee Russell, a 25-year-old woman from Alabama who went missing last Thursday after stopping to help a toddler she saw walking along an interstate, has been found and safely returned home, according to police reports on Sunday.
At 10:44 p.m. local time on Saturday, Hoover Police Department received a call informing them that Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russell had arrived back at her residence, as stated in a news release by the Hoover police.
Upon arrival, Hoover police conducted an investigation while medics from the Hoover Fire Department evaluated Russell’s condition before taking her to UAB Hospital for further assessment. Subsequently, she was released.
In their statement, Hoover police explained that detectives had spoken with Carlee at her home and at UAB Hospital to obtain her initial account of the events. However, as the investigation remains ongoing, further details of her statement have not been disclosed yet, with the investigation expected to continue in the coming days.
According to the police, Russell had finished work around 8:20 p.m. on Thursday and stopped to pick up some food before heading towards Hoover on I-459. It was there that she spotted the toddler and came to a stop.
A witness reported a possible sighting of a light-skinned male outside Russell’s vehicle, which was gray in color. However, the identity and additional information regarding this individual and vehicle are currently unknown.
Talitha Russell, Carlee’s mother, shared with AL.com that her daughter was on her way home when the incident unfolded. Talitha mentioned that Carlee was speaking to her brother’s girlfriend on the phone when she noticed the child on the roadside.
After asking if the child was okay, Carlee suddenly screamed, which was all that her brother’s girlfriend could hear before the call was filled with background noise from the interstate.
Hoover police responded to the scene, arriving within five minutes of receiving the dispatch.
During the investigation, officers discovered Carlee Russell’s wig, cell phone, purse, and Apple Watch, which were found on the road near her vehicle.
The Crimes Against Persons Unit has taken charge of the case, pursuing various leads. Hoover police assured the public that they would release factual and relevant information as the investigation progresses. This story is developing.
