Authorities in Alabama are skeptical of the claim made by Carlee Russell, a woman who called 911 to report a toddler wandering on the highway and then disappeared for two days. Despite her mother’s insistence that Carlee was abducted and fought for her life, the police have been unable to verify her account.
Carlee’s return home on Saturday sparked speculation about her whereabouts and what had happened to her. However, Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis cast doubt on her abduction story during a news conference, stating that they were still investigating but had been unable to confirm most of Carlee’s initial statement.
According to Carlee’s testimony, she was taken by a man who emerged from the trees while she was checking on the child. She claimed to have been blindfolded and held captive in a home where she was given cheese crackers. Eventually, she managed to escape from a vehicle and run through the woods back to her neighborhood.
Prior to her disappearance, Carlee’s cellphone revealed that she had searched for information about Amber Alerts, a movie about abduction, and a one-way bus ticket from Birmingham to Nashville. Additionally, her phone data indicated that she traveled approximately 600 yards while reporting the toddler to the 911 operator. She has not been interviewed by investigators a second time.
Chief Derzis found it suspicious that someone would search the internet for abduction-related content shortly before being kidnapped. Carlee’s family claimed that she was traumatized and not yet ready to speak further with authorities.
Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis speaking at a press conference, in Hoover, Ala., on July 19, 2023. (ABC 33/40 via AP)
Carlee’s mother, Talitha Russell, informed the “Today” show that her daughter needed medical care upon her return and was not in a good state. She stated that Carlee provided a statement to detectives in order to help in the pursuit of her abductor. Talitha also shared that Carlee had to physically and mentally fight for her life during her ordeal.
Earlier this week, police confirmed that they had found no evidence supporting Carlee’s claim of a toddler walking on the highway. Surveillance footage from her neighborhood showed her walking alone before arriving home. She was conscious and able to communicate when first responders arrived and was later released from the hospital after receiving treatment.
On the night of her disappearance, Carlee called 911 and later contacted a relative, informing them about the toddler on the interstate. However, when the police arrived, they only found her car, cellphone, and wig, but neither Carlee nor a child were present.
According to Carlee’s mother, she was on the phone with her brother’s girlfriend at the time of the incident. The girlfriend heard Carlee ask the child if they were okay, followed by Carlee screaming and background noise from the interstate.
The police reported that a witness claimed to have seen a gray vehicle and a man outside Carlee’s car. Additionally, it was discovered that Carlee had made a stop to buy snacks on her way home, although none of the food was found in her car, cellphone, or with her wig.
Hoover, located around 10 miles south of Birmingham, remains the center of the investigation. The police are hopeful that Carlee will provide answers to the many unanswered questions surrounding her disappearance.
By Sudhin Thanawala
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