Alabama Woman’s Disappearance Investigation Raises More Questions
Hoover, Alabama – The case of Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russell, the woman who went missing for 49 hours after reporting a child walking alone on the side of the highway, has taken a perplexing turn. Police shared new details on Wednesday, stating that they have been unable to verify most of Russell’s initial statement.
Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis addressed reporters at a news conference, stating that while the investigation is ongoing, authorities do not believe there is a threat to the community. Derzis revealed that no one has reported a missing child, and investigators have found no evidence of one.
Russell’s mother, Talitha Robinson-Russell, however, believes her daughter was abducted. In a statement to CNN affiliate WBRC, she said, “Carlee has given detectives her statement and hopefully they are pursuing her abductor.”
In his briefing, Derzis shed light on Russell’s activities leading up to her disappearance. She took items from work, stopped at a restaurant to get food, and bought snacks at Target, according to investigators. Police also discovered web searches, including “Do you have to pay for an amber alert?” and “How to take money from a register without being caught,” on her cell phone.
The details shared by Russell herself are troubling yet remain without verification. According to the police chief, Russell claimed that a man emerged from the trees and picked her up after she got out of her vehicle to check on the child. She alleged that the man took her over a fence and forced her into a car. Russell stated that she was held captive in the trailer of an 18-wheeler and heard a baby crying.
Derzis said that Russell recounted being in a house where she was undressed, believed to be photographed but had no memory of any physical or sexual contact. She managed to escape twice, the second time running through woods before reappearing near her home.
Russell returned home on foot on Saturday night, but detectives have been unable to speak to her since then. According to Derzis, the family stated that Russell’s mental state, as a result of the trauma she experienced, would not allow her to talk at this time.
The investigation has been further complicated by the discovery of Russell’s cell phone, wig, and purse near her vehicle, while items she allegedly concealed at work and snacks from Target are missing. The chief also mentioned that there is no evidence of a toddler walking on the interstate, despite Russell’s 911 call reporting one.
Authorities have sent the video footage of Russell’s car to the FBI for enhancement analysis. The police chief admitted that there are many unanswered questions, but only Carlee can provide the answers.
As the investigation continues, the community remains on edge, hoping for a resolution to this perplexing case.