Carlee Russell found guilty in charges related to kidnapping hoax
Carlee Russell has been found guilty on two misdemeanor charges related to a kidnapping hoax that played out over the past summer.
Judge Brad Bishop found the 25-year-old nursing student guilty during an Oct. 11 municipal court hearing of the two charges, false reporting to law enforcement authorities and falsely reporting an incident, Hoover Municipal Court director Susan Fuqua confirmed to TODAY.com.
One of her attorneys, Emory Anthony, told TODAY.com that they disagreed with the plea offer, stipulated and appealed the case to circuit court.
Read on to find out the timeline of Carlee Russell’s disappearance, the condition of her charges, and what officials and those close to her have said regarding her case.
Carlee Russell’s story went viral in July 2023 when she was reported to have been kidnapped
Carlethia “Carlee” Russell was reported to have gone missing on July 13 after she called 911 to report a toddler walking alone along I-459 South in Hoover, Alabama.
Soon after, she contacted a family member and shared similar details, including that she was checking on the child. During the call, the family member lost contact with Carlee Russell while the line remained open.
While speaking about her daughter’s disappearance, Carlee Russell’s mother (Talitha Russell) said that the family member on the phone had allegedly “heard a scream and then some type of running, type shuffle.”
“I just felt immediately that she was in danger,” Talitha Russell said.
Police located Carlee Russell’s vehicle at the scene and recovered some of her personal items and her cell phone. According to officials, police received no other calls reporting a child on the interstate.
Well wishes for Carlee Russell and pleas for information about her disappearance began circulating on social media platforms.
At the time, police said an anonymous donor set a $20,000 reward for her safe return. Crime Stoppers contributed an additional $5,000 reward.
Carlee Russell appeared at her parents’ house 48 hours after she went missing
On the evening of July 15, Carlee Russell appeared at her parents’ doorstep. According to a statement issued by Capt. Keith Czeskleba of the Hoover Police Department, she was taken to a local hospital where she was evaluated.
While appearing on TODAY for an exclusive interview, Carlee Russell’s parents spoke about her return.
“We tried to hug as best we could, but I had to stand back because she was not in a good state,” Talitha Russell said at the time. “So we had to stand back and let medical professionals work with her.”
Six days after Carlee Russell's disappearance, officials said that they were unable to verify her story
On July 19, Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis revealed that detectives had not been able to verify parts of the information she told investigators upon her return.
According to police, Carlee Russell reported to have been forced into an 18-wheeler truck and taken to a home where a man with orange hair and a woman forced her to undress and took nude photos of her.
Investigators analyzed Carlee Russell’s cell phone with help from the Secret Service. Officials reported that her internet history before her disappearance confirmed that she looked for how to take money from a cash register without being noticed, how to pay for Amber Alerts and the movie “Taken.”
Carlee Russell admitted that she lied about her kidnapping
“My client did not see a baby on the side of the road. My client did not leave the Hoover area. This was a single act done by herself,” her attorney’s statement continued in part. “My client apologizes for her actions to this community, to the volunteers who were searching for her, to the Hoover Police Department and other agencies as well.”
Carlee Russell was charged with two misdemeanors
During a July 28 news conference, Hoover Police Chief Nicholas C. Derzis said Carlee Russell had been charged with false reporting to law enforcement authorities and falsely reporting an incident.
Advocates expressed fear that her case would ‘derail’ efforts to find missing Black people
In the aftermath of Carlee Russell’s lie unfurling, advocates underlined to NBC BLK the importance of taking Black women and girls seriously regarding missing cases. In its story, NBC BLK shared that the National Crime Information Center reported that over 30,000 Black people in the U.S. remained missing by the end of 2022.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
