Over 48 hours after she vanished from a highway in Hoover, Alabama, where she claimed she see a toddler walking alone, Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russell has been found alive. According to WBRC, Hoover Police learned that Russell returned to her home on Saturday night (July 15).
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Earlier this week, on Thursday (July 13), the 25-year-old nursing student went missing after calling 911 to report seeing a 3 or 4-year-old child walking alone along interstate 459 around 9:30 p.m.
Police said Russell had gotten off of work, from a business at The Summit, around 8:20 p.m. Before heading home, where she lives with her parents, she made a stop to pick up food from a restaurant at The Colonnade. While heading toward Hoover on I-459, the woman stopped near mile marker 11, between the Galleria flyover and Exit 10.
The Hoover Police Department said around 9:30 p.m., the Hoover 911 Center received a phone call from the woman, claiming she had seen a toddler walking along the interstate.
After calling 911, Lt. Daniel Lowe of the Hoover Police said while on the road, Russell then called her family and spoke with her brother’s girlfriend. During the call, the family all heard Russell asking the child if she was ok, but the child did not respond, or at least was not heard responding. Then the family heard Russell scream and lost contact with her, but the line remained open.
On Friday (July 14), Lt. Lowe said when police arrived to the area Russell had vanished, they found her Mercedes still running, and all of her belongings, plus her wig and hat, left behind. But, they did not find her nor the child she reported seeing.
Lt. Lowe also said a witness saw a man driving a gray car near the area where Russell was last seen. An investigation was launched and a reward for any tips was last listed with a value of $55,000.
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Russell’s mother, Talitha Russell, said that the family was keeping their daughter in prayer, and holding onto their faith. “We are trusting God, we are staying positive, we are not allowing any negative thoughts to enter our minds so all that we are doing is trusting God, believe in God that our daughter will be brought home safely,” said the woman’s mother.
By Saturday evening (July 15), Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said the 911 Center received a call around 10:45 p.m.. They learned that Russell showed up at her parent’s house alone. When Hoover Police and Fire responded to the scene to evaluate Russell, paramedics ended up taking her to UAB hospital for further evaluation.
It is not immediately clear where Russell was after vanishing from the highway on Thursday. Story developing.
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