Hoover officials Wednesday offered their latest understanding of the 49 hours Carlee Russell mysteriously disappeared after calling 911 to report a “toddler” walking on the side of the interstate.
At a news conference, officials said Russell returned home and received medical care at UAB hospital after those 49 hours.
Detectives said surveillance video shows her walking down the sidewalk alone. Hoover Police Chief Nick Chief Derzis told reporters that Russell claims she escaped the captivity of two individuals.
Details revealed at the press conference, however, raise far more questions about Russell than the alleged abduction she claims took place.
Among those details include newly released audio from the 911 call, the distance she walked along the interstate, as well as internet searches she performed before her disappearance related to Amber Alerts, the movie “Taken,” and a one-way bus ticket from Birmingham to Nashville.
Derzis said investigators have only spoken with Carlee once, and that was immediately following her return, and are still trying to figure out her side of the story. She has not granted a second interview request.
Despite the situation and amount of resources expended to help Russell, local officials remained professional.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato thanked law enforcement agencies from Hoover PD and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, all the way up to the U.S. Secret Service.
“The Hoover Police Department is known for being very methodical and thorough with their investigations. For that reason, we did not feel comfortable speaking in detail publicly until now,” Brocato told reporters. “It is important that we share this information now so that our community can be put at ease.”
Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis explained the chain of events before playing audio from Russell’s 911 call.
“In the statement, she told detectives that while driving down the interstate, she saw a baby walking down the side of the road and called 911,” Derzis said. “She stated when she got out of her vehicle to check on the child, a man came out of the trees and mumbled he was checking on the baby. She claimed that the man then picked her up and she screamed. She stated he then made her go over a fence.”
In a detailed account of events, Derzis said Russell’s 911 call remains the only report of a child on the interstate. Despite the high volume of traffic in that area, no missing child reports were made, nor did police find any evidence supporting the claim.
According to data from Russell’s Life360 app, she moved about 600 yards in her vehicle while claiming to follow the alleged child during her 911 call.
“That is six football fields,” Derzis said. “Straight 600 yards.”
Investigators also located Russell’s car – with her purse, Apple Watch, and food from Taziki’s inside – near where she claims to have been abducted. However, other items reportedly taken from her place of work and purchased from Target were missing.
Legal analyst Eric Guster pointed out Monday that Russell could face legal consequences if she misled investigators.
“If you report anything to law enforcement officials that is not true, you can be charged,” Guster said.
When asked about the possibility of charges being filed against Russell in connection with her claims, Derzis said, “Our focus is to determine those 49 hours as the investigation continues.
“I promise you that. We’ll end up figuring it out.”
Grayson Everett is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
