Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russell, 25, went missing Thursday night when she claimed that she pulled over to help a wandering toddler on I-459.
The nursing student called 911 before dialing her sister-in-law.
“My daughter-in-law could hear her ask if the child was OK, and the child didn’t respond — at least she didn’t hear him or her respond,” her mother, Talitha Robinson-Russell, told WVTM-TV on Sunday.
Luckily, she showed up on the threshold of her family’s home on Saturday night. Russell’s return to her family marked a safe ending to her disappearance – after social media was capitivated by news of her disappearance.
Now, online sleuths are thirsty for answers— and many folks on social media are calling Carlee a “liar” and her disappearance “a hoax.”
She’s even being compared to Jusse Smullett. There are online rumors – which are completely unconfirmed that Carlee was allegedly in some personal trouble, and may have mental health issues. Those reports have, thus far not been confirmed.
Despite that, there’s plenty of folks on social media calling her a liar.
So what’s the truth? Well so far, police believe Carlee’s story – but are still investigating.
Carlee, 25, was driving home from work on Thursday when she stopped on the side of the interstate to check on what she described to both a relative and the 911 dispatcher as a diaper-wearing toddler walking on the side of the highway. Russell’s 911 call “remains the only timely report” of such a child, according to a Monday morning update from Hoover (Ala.) Police Department.
Russell went missing sometime after 9:36 p.m., two minutes after she called 911 about the male toddler, according to police. Traffic footage of the stretch of interstate shows Russell’s car slowing down. Police reported that officers arrived “on the scene within five minutes of being dispatched,” but Russell was already gone. They found Russell’s wig, her cell phone, Apple Watch, and her purse. Her car was still running, according to Rusesell’s mother, Talitha.
“My son’s girlfriend heard [Russell] asking the child, ‘Are you OK? She never heard the child say anything, but then she heard our daughter scream,’’ mother Talitha Russell told AL.com. “From there all you hear on her phone is background noise from the interstate.”
Then, less than 48 hours later – she returned home.
On Saturday at 10:44 p.m., Russell’s family again called 911, this time to report that Russell “had returned on foot,” according to Hoover police. The fire department took her to an area hospital for examination and treatment. She gave an “initial statement” to police, but its contents haven’t been released. “We rejoice with the Russell family as they continue to rest and recover from this situation and ask for their wishes to be respected regarding their privacy,” Hoover Police Lt. Daniel Lowe said in a statement on Monday morning.
No additional information about the interstate-walking toddler that started Russell’s saga, nor about what happened or where Russell was for those 48 hours, have been released to the public. Police have also chosen to not detail her injuries for the public, which seems reasonable on both an investigative level and on a human level.
