Carlee Russell – update: Ex-boyfriend ‘blindsided’ by fake kidnapping story as Hoover police mull charges
Carlee Russell’s former boyfriend has spoken out after authorities in Alabama revealed her kidnapping story was a hoax.
The 25-year-old disappeared on the evening of 13 July after calling 911 and claiming she was stopping to help a toddler in diapers who was walking alone on Interstate 459.
She returned home two days later and claimed she had been kidnapped and had barely managed to escape.
But on Monday, Hoover Police Department Chief Nicholas Derzis said that Ms Russell’s attorney, Emory Anthony, had now provided a statement admitting the abduction was a lie.
Ms Russell’s ex-boyfriend Thomas Simmons then posted a statement on Instagram hours later saying that he felt “blindsided.”
“Carlee’s actions created hurt, confusion and dishonesty,” he wrote. “I was made aware of the false narrative after coming to the defense of my ex Carlee Russell. Myself and my family’ nature was to react in love and genuine concern. We are disgusted [by] the outcome of this entire situation.”
Authorities said they have contacted the district attorney’s office in regards to potentially bringing charges against Ms Russell.
Key Points
Carlee Russell’s ex-boyfriend says he’s ‘disgusted’ she faked own abduction
Crime Stoppers backtrack on promise to return reward money
Russell looked up the movie Taken before disappearing
Carlee Russell admits that abduction was a hoax
06:30 , Andrea Blanco
Authorities in Alabama have revealed that Carlee Russell’s story about being kidnapped on the side of a highway after stopping to check on a toddler was a hoax.
Ms Russell’s disappearance baffled police in Hoover after the 25-year-old’s car was found in the stretch of a highway following a 911 call she made reporting a stranded toddler. She inexplicably reappeared at her parents’ home 49 hours later, claiming she was kidnapped by “a man with orange hair” and was forced to undress and pose for photographs.
After much speculation about the veracity of her claims, Hoover Police Department Chief Nicholas Derzis confirmed on Monday that Ms Russell has admitted to lying about her supposed abduction in a statement she provided through her attorney.
“There was no kidnapping on Thursday, July 13. My client did not see a baby on the side of the road,” the statement read, according to Chief Derzis, who read it at a news conference. “My client apologizes for her actions to this community, the volunteers who were searching for her, to the Hoover Police Department and other agencies as well, as to her friends and family.”
Carlee Russell’s attorney expects her to be charged over fake disappearance
06:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
An attorney representing Carlee Russell has said he expects her to be charged over false claims that she was abducted.
Emory Anthony told local news station WDHN that he had met with Hoover Police Department detectives to discuss his client’s case. Mr Anthony said that Ms Russell was better but still “dealing with her issues.”
“It was a great meeting; It was a short meeting,” Mr Anthony said. “We tried to identify some things about where we go from here. There [are] responsibilities that we need to take care of.”
Mr Anthony’s remarks come just a day after authorities confirmed that Ms Russell, 25, had admitted to lying about being kidnapped on the side of a highway after stopping to check on a toddler. The attorney did not elaborate on what motivated Ms Russell’s fake story.
He added: “I know you have a hundred questions but we won’t be able to answer them at this point in time, but just walk with us and we should be through this shortly ,” Mr Anthony said.
Carlee Russell’s attorney expects her to be charged over fake disappearance
What was Carlee Russell’s intention in disappearing?
05:30 , Andrea Blanco
It is unclear why Ms Russell wanted to disappear but police has pointed to Ms Russell’s actions beforehand to give some insight into her mental state.
Using tracking information, internet search history and surveillance camera footage, investigators saw Ms Russell leave her workplace carrying items that she allegedly was not supposed to have.
This included a roll of toilet paper and a bathrobe.
She then stopped by Target to get snacks and a local restaurant to get dinner before driving down the interstate.
Carlee Russell sent several bizarre tweets before fake ‘disappearance’
04:30 , Andrea Blanco
Before 25-year-old Carlee Russell went missing for a mysterious 49 hours – a disappearance, she admitted on Monday, that was staged – she posted a series of bizarre tweets.
On the day she went “missing” on 13 July, she tweeted at 8.55pm: “today was a GREAT day God be looking out im telling you!!”
One minute later, Ms Russell wrote: “someone to tell you ‘i love you’ and don’t got a reason.”
Finally, she tweeted, “yeah i want a family now” at 9.19pm. Just moments later, around 9.30pm, the Alabama woman called 911 and told detectives that she was following a lost toddler along the interstate.
Where did Carlee Russell go in the two days she was missing?
03:30 , Andrea Blanco
Ms Russell told police that a man with “orange hair” emerged from the trees, picked her up and forced her into another vehicle where she claimed to have been kidnapped for 49 hours.
In a horrific tale, Ms Russell recounted being transported to another truck and then to a house where she was stripped naked and photographed.
However, police have debunked that Ms Russell was kidnapped at all. As of now, authorities don’t know where Ms Russell went in the two days she was missing.
Carlee Russell claimed she was kidnapped by a man with orange hair. It was all a lie
02:30 , Andrea Blanco
Carlee Russell falsely claimed she vanished after calling 911 to report seeing a young boy in diapers on the side of a busy interstate.
The Independent’s Bevan Hurley reports:
What really happened to Carlee Russell?
Will Carlee Russell face criminal charges over fake kidnapping?
01:30 , Andrea Blanco
Police in Hoover, Alabama say they have confirmed their suspicions that Carlee Russell made false claims that she was kidnapped after pulling off to the side of the road while reporting a toddler was walking alone.
Hoover Police Department Chief Nicholas Derzis said on Monday Ms Russell has admitted to lying about her supposed abduction in a statement she provided through her attorney.
“There was no kidnapping on Thursday, July 13. My client did not see a baby on the side of the road,” the statement read, according to Chief Derzis, who read it at a news conference. “My client apologizes for her actions to this community, the volunteers who were searching for her, to the Hoover Police Department and other agencies as well, as to her friends and family.”
While police have not made any official allegations against Ms Russell, should they find that she made a false report, law enforcement could choose to charge her.
Section 13A-10-9 of the Alabama criminal code states that making a false report to law enforcement, knowingly, is a Class A misdemeanour.
When asked last week if law enforcement was planning on charging Ms Russell, Mr Derzis replied: “To be perfectly honest with you, that hasn’t even entered our mind or been discussed.”
Mr Derzis said the priority of their investigation was to return Ms Russell home safely and find out where she was in the two days she was missing.
What did Carlee Russell do the day she went missing?
00:30 , Andrea Blanco
According to authorities, Ms Russell left work at the Woodhouse Spa in the Summit luxury shopping mall in Birmingham at about 8.20pm on 13 July.
She called 911 at 9.34pm that night to report seeing a toddler wandering on the side of Interstate 459.
When police officers arrived, they found her red Mercedes still running and her belongings, including a wig, phone, Apple Watch and purse, but no sign of her or the toddler.
An analysis of Ms Russell’s phone found that she drove for 600 yards, or six football fields, while on the 911 call claiming she was observing a toddler, Mr Derzis said.
Ms Russell turned up on foot at her parents’ home in Hoover 49 hours later, and claimed she had been kidnapped and barely survived.
She told detectives she was placed in a car, and was able to escape and flee into woods and came out near her home.
Detectives noted she had a minor injury in her lip, and a torn shirt. They also found $107 in cash tucked in her right sock.
Mother of murder victim says Carlee Russell ‘disrespected’ parents who have lost a child
23:30 , Andrea Blanco
A mother in Alabama whose daughter was murdered has spoken out against Carlee Russell, saying her fake kidnapping story was “disrespectful” to parents who have lost a child.
Shea Wardrup Pilkington-Wiley posted on Facebook last Wednesday describing how Ms Russell’s case brought back the same “sickening feelings” she felt when her daughter, Madison Pilkington, was murdered.
“The unanswered calls that kept going to voicemail. The unanswered texts. The sickening feelings we all felt. Remembering shattering like glass and our souls being ripped from our bodies. She dredged it all up to the surface,” Ms Pilkington-Wiley wrote.
The Independent’s Ariana Baio reports:
Mother of murder victim says Carlee Russell ‘disrespected’ parents with lost children
Carlee Russell’s internet searches before staging kidnapping
22:30 , Andrea Blanco
A forensic analysis of Ms Russell’s cell phone, work and home computers found she looked up information about the movie Taken, Amber Alerts, booking a bus ticket from Birmingham to Nashville and “how to take money from a register without being caught”, according to Hoover Police Department Nicholas Derzis.
On July 11, Ms Russell searched: “Do you have to pay for amber alert or search”.
The searches shed light on the 25-year-old’s mindset leading up to when she claimed to have been kidnapped after seeing a toddler walking along the side of Interstate 459 on 13 July.
Carlee Russell sent several bizarre tweets before fake ‘disappearance’
21:30 , Andrea Blanco
Before 25-year-old Carlee Russell went missing for a mysterious 49 hours – a disappearance, she admitted on Monday, that was staged – she posted a series of bizarre tweets.
On the day she went “missing” on 13 July, she tweeted at 8.55pm: “today was a GREAT day God be looking out im telling you!!”
One minute later, Ms Russell wrote: “someone to tell you ‘i love you’ and don’t got a reason.”
Finally, she tweeted, “yeah i want a family now” at 9.19pm. Just moments later, around 9.30pm, the Alabama woman called 911 and told detectives that she was following a lost toddler along the interstate.
After she returned home, Ms Russell claimed was abducted by a man with “orange hair,” before escaping. She later turned up on foot at her parent’s home with $107 tucked in her right sock, and alleged she had barely survived the encounter.
Carlee Russell sent several bizarre tweets before fake ‘disappearance’
Carlee Russell’s ex-boyfriend issues statement decrying abduction hoax
20:38 , Andrea Blanco
Thomar Simmons posted a statement on Instagram on Monday night where he slammed his 25-year-old former girlfriend and said that he – like the wider public – had been “blindsided” by her lies.
“Carlee’s actions created hurt, confusion and dishonesty,” he wrote.
“I was made aware of the false narrative after coming to the defense of my ex Carlee Russell. Myself and my family’ nature was to react in love and genuine concern. We are disgusted [by] the outcome of this entire situation.”
‘My client apologizes for her actions to this community,’ Carley Russell’s attorney says in statement
20:08 , Andrea Blanco
Authorities in Alabama have revealed that Carlee Russell’s story about being kidnapped on the side of a highway after stopping to check on a toddler was a hoax.
Ms Russell’s disappearance baffled police in Hoover after the 25-year-old’s car was found in the stretch of a highway following a 911 call she made reporting a stranded toddler. She inexplicably reappeared at her parents’ home 49 hours later, claiming she was kidnapped by “a man with orange hair” and was forced to undress and pose for photographs.
After much speculation about the veracity of her claims, Hoover Police Department Chief Nicholas Derzis confirmed on Monday that Ms Russell has admitted to lying about her supposed abduction in a statement she provided through her attorney.
“There was no kidnapping on Thursday, July 13. My client did not see a baby on the side of the road,” the statement read, according to Chief Derzis, who read it at a news conference. “My client apologizes for her actions to this community, the volunteers who were searching for her, to the Hoover Police Department and other agencies as well, as to her friends and family.”
Who is Carlee Russell?
19:38 , Bevan Hurley
Ms Russell lives with her parents in Hoover, a fast-growing suburb on the southern outskirts of Birmingham.
She worked part-time at The Woodhouse Spa and was also a student at Jefferson State Community College, where she was studying to be a nurse, according to AL.com.
On the day she went “missing,” Ms Russell had spent time with officers from Harpersville Police Department, according to a Facebook post on Friday asking for help finding her.
“We were honored to spend time with this smart, courteous and honoring young woman yesterday,” the department said on social media.
“She was handling some business in the Town of Harpersville yesterday and we were so impressed by her respect, poise, good attitude and her drive to become a nursing student and help others.”
The police department later issued an update after its initial post led to the spread of unfounded rumours.
“For clarification, Ms Russell was not at the Harpersville Police Department,” they later added. “Contrary to the stigma, we consistently encounter citizens while engaging the community and those occasions are primarily positive.”
Carlee Russell claimed she was kidnapped by a man with orange hair. It was all a lie
19:08 , Andrea Blanco
Carlee Russell falsely claimed she vanished after calling 911 to report seeing a young boy in diapers on the side of a busy interstate.
The Independent’s Bevan Hurley reports:
What really happened to Carlee Russell?
What did Carlee Russell claim?
18:38 , Andrea Blanco
During an interview with police after she reappeared at her parents’ home, Ms Russel alleged that she got out of her vehicle when she saw a barefoot toddler walking in a field next to the highway. A man with orange hair and a bald spot then “came out of the trees” and abducted her, she claimed.
Ms Russell told police that she heard a woman and a baby inside the trailer of an 18-wheeler semi, before making a brief escape. She said she was then recaptured and taken to a house, where her alleged captors forced her to undress and pose for photographs.
She allegedly escaped for a second time while she was being forced inside a car and fled to the woods and finally turned up at her parent’s home.
The Secret Service analysed her phone and computers, and found internet searches that are “very relevant to this case,” Mr Derzis said. On July 11, Ms Russell searched: “Do you have to pay for amber alert or search”.
Carlee Russell’s ‘blindsided’ ex-boyfriend speaks out
18:00 , Andrea Blanco
Carlee Russell’s “blindsided” ex-boyfriend has said that he is “disgusted” after learning that the 25-year-old faked her own abduction.
Read his Instagram post below:
Could Carlee Russell face consequences?
17:14 , Andrea Blanco
Police in Hoover, Alabama have said they were unable to verify most of Carlee Russell’s claims that she was kidnapped after pulling off to the side of the road while reporting a toddler was walking alone, leading to questions about whether she may face charges.
Ms Russell, 25, falsely claimed she went missing on 13 July after calling 911 to report a young child was walking alone and barefoot on Interstate 459.
Hoover police chief Nick Derzis said no other drivers on the busy interstate reported a child walking alone and there were no missing children alerts. He said Ms Russell was the only person to make the 911 call and there were no signs of a toddler when authorities arrived.
He added that during Ms Russell’s brief phone call with a 911 operator, she claimed she pulled her car over to assist the child but phone tracking data shows she moved 600 yards – the length of six football fields.
Mr Derzis expressed doubt that a small child between the ages of two and four could move 600 yards in the time Ms Russell was on the phone.
While police have not made any official allegations against Ms Russell, should they find that she made a false report, law enforcement could choose to charge her.
Section 13A-10-9 of the Alabama criminal code states that making a false report to law enforcement, knowingly, is a Class A misdemeanour.
When asked last week if law enforcement was planning on charging Ms Russell, Mr Derzis replied: “To be perfectly honest with you, that hasn’t even entered our mind or been discussed.”
Carlee Russell sent several bizarre tweets before fake ‘disappearance’
16:36 , Andrea Blanco
Before 25-year-old Carlee Russell went missing for a mysterious 49 hours – a disappearance, she admitted on Monday, that was staged – she posted a series of bizarre tweets.
On the day she went “missing” on 13 July, she tweeted at 8.55pm: “today was a GREAT day God be looking out im telling you!!”
One minute later, Ms Russell wrote: “someone to tell you ‘i love you’ and don’t got a reason.”
Finally, she tweeted, “yeah i want a family now” at 9.19pm. Just moments later, around 9.30pm, the Alabama woman called 911 and told detectives that she was following a lost toddler along the interstate.
After she returned home, Ms Russell claimed was abducted by a man with “orange hair,” before escaping. She later turned up on foot at her parent’s home with $107 tucked in her right sock, and alleged she had barely survived the encounter.
She has since admitted that the abduction was a hoax, police said.
Alabama lawyer says police is using ‘every other synonym for lie except saying she lied’ in Carlee Russell case
15:56 , Andrea Blanco
An Alabama lawyer has outlined the possible crimes Carlee Russell may have committed after police haven’t been able to verify her claims about her 49-hour disappearance.
The 25-year-old claims she was kidnapped, but police have shared her internet search history which suggests the ordeal may have been staged.
Birmingham lawyer Eric Guster, a longtime criminal defence attorney, told WVTM13 that he, like many others, grew interested in the case. He added that the message coming from the police was clear.
“She says she was kidnapped, and a kidnapping didn’t happen. (They say) our citizens are safe. There’s not a kidnapper out there. So, they use every other synonym for lie except saying she lied,” he told the local TV station.
The attorney added that the search for Ms Russell wasted time and funds for both the police and members of the community.
WATCH: Carlee Russell admits abduction was a “hoax”
15:30 , Andrea Blanco
Before Carlee Russell admitted to elaborate hoax, a mother said she ‘disrespected’ parents of murdered victims
15:00 , Andrea Blanco
A mother in Alabama whose daughter was murdered has spoken out against Carlee Russell, saying her fake kidnapping story was “disrespectful” to parents who have lost a child.
Shea Wardrup Pilkington-Wiley posted on Facebook last Wednesday describing how Ms Russell’s case brought back the same “sickening feelings” she felt when her daughter, Madison Pilkington, was murdered.
The Independent’s Ariana Baio has more:
Mother of murder victim says Carlee Russell ‘disrespected’ parents with lost children
Carlee Russell’s ‘blindsided’ ex-boyfriend is ‘disgusted’ with her after she admitted to lying about abduction
14:30 , Rachel Sharp
Carlee Russell’s former boyfriend has said that he is “disgusted” with her after she finally confessed to faking her own abduction.
Thomar Simmons posted a statement on Instagram on Monday night where he slammed his 25-year-old former girlfriend and said that he – like the wider public – had been “blindsided” by her lies.
“Carlee’s actions created hurt, confusion and dishonesty,” he wrote.
Read the full story:
Carlee Russell’s ex-boyfriend is ‘disgusted’ after she admitted abduction lies
Will Carlee Russell face charges?
14:00 , Rachel Sharp
So far, Carlee Russell has not been charged in connection to her fake kidnap scam.
On Monday, Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said that he is in talks with the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office about possible criminal charges.
“We will announce those charges when, and if, they are filed,” he said.
Investigators will also be meeting with Ms Russell’s attorney Emory Anthony on Tuesday to discuss the case.
Carlee Russell’s mother falls silent on abduction hoax
13:30 , Rachel Sharp
Carlee Russell’s mother has fallen silent after her daughter admitted she faked her own abduction.
On Tuesday, Ms Russell released a statement through her lawyer where she confessed that her kidnapping was all a lie.
During the two days she was missing, her mother Talitha Robinson-Russell pleaded for her safe return.
In the wake of her reemergence, she defended her daughter amid rumours that her abduction wasn’t all it seemed.
“There were moments when she physically had to fight for her life, and there were moments when she had to mentally fight for her life,” she told NBC’s Today show last week.
But, on Monday, after Ms Russell’s deception was confirmed, Ms Robinson-Russell refused to comment.
“Now is not a good time,” she told The New York Times.
WATCH: Police describe how Carlee Russell faked her disappearance
13:00 , Josh Marcus
Authorities in Alabama have revealed that Carlee Russell’s story about being kidnapped on the side of a highway after stopping to check on a toddler was a hoax.
Ms Russell’s disappearance baffled police in Hoover after the 25-year-old’s car was found in the stretch of a highway following a 911 call she made reporting a stranded toddler. She inexplicably reappeared at her parents’ home 49 hours later, claiming she was kidnapped by “a man with orange hair” and was forced to undress and pose for photographs.
After much speculation about the veracity of her claims, Hoover Police Department Chief Nicholas Derzis confirmed on Monday that Ms Russell has admitted to lying about her supposed abduction in a statement she provided through her attorney.
Watch the police update on the case here.
ICYMI: What did Carlee Russell originally tell police?
12:30 , Josh Marcus
Carlee Nichole Russell gained national notoriety this month after she falsely claimed she was abducted on 13 July after calling 911 to report she had seen a toddler walking on the side of Interstate 459 in Alabama.
The 25-year-old stopped her car to check on the child and called a family member before losing contact, she initially told the Hoover Police Department. By the time officers arrived five minutes later, Ms Russell had faked a disappearance, with her car engine still running, and the toddler was nowhere to be found.
When Ms Russell returned on 15 July, she gave a statement to police where she outlined a tale of a horrific kidnapping, which her lawyer now says was false.
Ms Russell initially said after she came across a young boy walking along the side of the highway alone she pulled over and called 911. After that, she called her brother’s girlfriend. During the conversation, she claimed a man with “orange hair” emerged from the woods and picked her up and forced her into a vehicle.
She claims the toddler was used as bait.
Ms Russell said the man then put her into the trailer of a tractor-trailer and drove her to an unknown location where he forced her to undress and took photos of her. She said the man had a female accomplice who fed her cheese crackers.
Eventually, her story went, the kidnappers put Ms Russell in another vehicle, which Ms Russell escaped from and ran home.
Police have been unable to verify nearly all of Ms Russell’s claims.
Carlee Russell sent several bizarre tweets before fake ‘disappearance’
12:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Before 25-year-old Carlee Russell went missing for a mysterious 49 hours – a disappearance, she admitted on Monday, that was staged – she posted a series of bizarre tweets.
On the day she went “missing” on 13 July, she tweeted at 8.55pm: “today was a GREAT day God be looking out im telling you!!”
One minute later, Ms Russell wrote: “someone to tell you ‘i love you’ and don’t got a reason.”
Finally, she tweeted, “yeah i want a family now” at 9.19pm. Just moments later, around 9.30pm, the Alabama woman called 911 and told detectives that she was following a lost toddler along the interstate.
After she returned home, Ms Russell claimed was abducted by a man with “orange hair,” before escaping. She later turned up on foot at her parent’s home with $107 tucked in her right sock, and alleged she had barely survived the encounter.
Carlee Russell sent several bizarre tweets before fake ‘disappearance’
ICYMI: Carlee Russell’s boyfriend tells others to stop bullying her
11:30 , Josh Marcus
Prior to Carlee Russell revealing her story about being abducted was a lie, her boyfriend pleaded with the public to stop cyberbullying the Alabama nursing student amid mounting suspicion she faked her own abduction.
“I know what it seems like what she did. Just stop bullying on social media,” Thomar Latrell Simmons toldThe New York Post.
“Think about her mental health. She doesn’t deserve that. She doesn’t. Nobody deserves to be cyberbullied.”
Ms Russell, 25, told police she was kidnapped after stopping to help a toddler in diapers walking alone on Interstate 459 on the evening of 13 July.
Police arrived five minutes later to find her red Mercedes still running, and her cellphone, wallet and wig in the car.
While Ms Russell was missing, Mr Simmons appealed for information from the public to help find her.
He later deleted a social media post stating that his girlfriend had been abducted.
ICYMI: Carlee Russell admits she was never kidnapped, Alabama police say
11:00 , Josh Marcus
Authorities in Alabama have revealed that Carlee Russell’s story about being kidnapped on the side of a highway after stopping to check on a toddler was a hoax.
Ms Russell’s disappearance baffled police in Hoover after the 25-year-old’s car was found in the stretch of a highway following a 911 call she made reporting a stranded toddler. She inexplicably reappeared at her parents’ home 49 hours later, claiming she was kidnapped by “a man with orange hair” and was forced to undress and pose for photographs.
After much speculation about the veracity of her claims, Hoover Police Department Chief Nicholas Derzis confirmed on Monday that Ms Russell has admitted to lying about her supposed abduction in a statement she provided through her attorney.
“There was no kidnapping on Thursday, July 13. My client did not see a baby on the side of the road,” the statement read, according to Chief Derzis, who read it at a news conference. “My client apologizes for her actions to this community, the volunteers who were searching for her, to the Hoover Police Department and other agencies as well, as to her friends and family.”
Andrea Blanco has the details for The Independent.
Carlee Russell admits she was never kidnapped, Alabama police say
Carlee Russell's 'blindsided' ex-boyfriend says he is 'disgusted' after she admitted faking own abduction
10:30 , Rachel Sharp
Carlee Russell's “blindsided” ex-boyfriend has said that he is “disgusted” after learning that the 25-year-old faked her own abduction.
Read his Instagram post below:
ICYMI: Carlee Russell’s internet searches suggest she staged her own kidnapping, Alabama police say
10:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Carlee Russell made a series of suspicious internet searches in the days before she claimed to have been abducted, Alabama authorities revealed at a press conference on Wednesday.
A forensic analysis of Ms Russell’s cell phone, work and home computers found she looked up information about the movie Taken, Amber Alerts, booking a bus ticket from Birmingham to Nashville and “how to take money from a register without being caught”, Hoover Police Department Nicholas Derzis told reporters.
The searches shed light on the 25-year-old’s mindset leading up to when she claimed to have been kidnapped after seeing a toddler walking along the side of Interstate 459 on 13 July, Mr Derzis said.
Police had been unable to verify Ms Russell’s allegations, and she has since refused to be interviewed, he added.
Carlee Russell’s internet searches suggest she staged her own kidnapping, police say
Carlee Russell falsely claimed she was kidnapped. Could she face consequences from police?
09:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Police in Hoover, Alabama say they have confirmed their suspicions that Carlee Russell made false claims that she was kidnapped after pulling off to the side of the road while reporting a toddler was walking alone.
Hoover Police Department Chief Nicholas Derzis said on Monday Ms Russell has admitted to lying about her supposed abduction in a statement she provided through her attorney.
“There was no kidnapping on Thursday, July 13. My client did not see a baby on the side of the road,” the statement read, according to Chief Derzis, who read it at a news conference. “My client apologizes for her actions to this community, the volunteers who were searching for her, to the Hoover Police Department and other agencies as well, as to her friends and family.”
The bizarre scandal has lead to questions about whether the Alabama woman may face charges.
Ms Russell, 25, claimed she went missing on 13 July after calling 911 to report a young child was walking alone and barefoot on Interstate 459.
Carlee Russell falsely claimed she was kidnapped. Could she face consequences?
Crime Stoppers backtrack on promise to return reward money
09:00 , Josh Marcus
Crime Stoppers, the organisation that offers anonymous tips about criminal activity, has backtracked on promises that it would return donors almost $63,000 after Carlee Russel returned home by herself following her claimed 13 July abduction, which she has since admitted was a hoax.
Ms Russell, 25, initially told police she was kidnapped after stopping to help a toddler in diapers who was walking alone on Interstate 459 on the evening of 13 July.
She came back home two days after the alleged abduction.
More than $63,000 were raised by Crime Stoppers during the two-day search for the Alabama woman. But the organisation has now said the money will not be returned after initially making the promise.
“This investigation is still ongoing, and accordingly, there is no basis to refund any contributions at this time,” Crime Stoppers said.
“Furthermore, the Hoover Police Department has not requested for any donor contributions to be released or refunded.”
ICYMI: Carlee Russell claimed she was kidnapped by a man with orange hair. Police say they can’t verify any of it
08:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russell vanished on 13 July after calling 911 to report she had seen a toddler walking on the side of Interstate 459 in Alabama.
The 25-year-old told dispatch she stopped her car to check on the child, and called a family member before losing contact, according to the Hoover Police Department.
By the time officers arrived five minutes later, Ms Russell had disappeared with her car engine still running, and the toddler was nowhere to be found.
Law enforcement and family mounted a desperate search for the missing woman and pleaded with the public for help.
Then just over 48 hours later, police were notified that Ms Russell had returned home on foot.
What really happened to Carlee Russell?
Could Carlee Russell face consequences?
07:00 , Josh Marcus
Police in Hoover, Alabama have said they were unable to verify most of Carlee Russell’s claims that she was kidnapped after pulling off to the side of the road while reporting a toddler was walking alone, leading to questions about whether she may face charges.
Ms Russell, 25, falsely claimed she went missing on 13 July after calling 911 to report a young child was walking alone and barefoot on Interstate 459.
Hoover police chief Nick Derzis said no other drivers on the busy interstate reported a child walking alone and there were no missing children alerts. He said Ms Russell was the only person to make the 911 call and there were no signs of a toddler when authorities arrived.
He added that during Ms Russell’s brief phone call with a 911 operator, she claimed she pulled her car over to assist the child but phone tracking data shows she moved 600 yards – the length of six football fields.
Mr Derzis expressed doubt that a small child between the ages of two and four could move 600 yards in the time Ms Russell was on the phone.
While police have not made any official allegations against Ms Russell, should they find that she made a false report, law enforcement could choose to charge her.
Section 13A-10-9 of the Alabama criminal code states that making a false report to law enforcement, knowingly, is a Class A misdemeanour.
When asked last week if law enforcement was planning on charging Ms Russell, Mr Derzis replied: “To be perfectly honest with you, that hasn’t even entered our mind or been discussed.”
Mother of murder victim says Carlee Russell ‘disrespected’ parents who have lost a child
06:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
A mother in Alabama whose daughter was murdered has spoken out against Carlee Russell, saying her fake kidnapping story was “disrespectful” to parents who have lost a child.
Shea Wardrup Pilkington-Wiley posted on Facebook last Wednesday describing how Ms Russell’s case brought back the same “sickening feelings” she felt when her daughter, Madison Pilkington, was murdered.
“The unanswered calls that kept going to voicemail. The unanswered texts. The sickening feelings we all felt. Remembering shattering like glass and our souls being ripped from our bodies. She dredged it all up to the surface,” Ms Pilkington-Wiley wrote.
“To find it was all a hoax well… I’m freaking angry!” she added. “I’m angry for every parent out there that has lost a child.”
When Ms Russell was first declared missing on 13 July, members of the community joined forces with the Russell family and law enforcement to search for the missing 25-year-old.
Mother of murder victim says Carlee Russell ‘disrespected’ parents with lost children
Carlee Russell admits she was never kidnapped, Alabama police say
06:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Authorities in Alabama have revealed that Carlee Russell’s story about being kidnapped on the side of a highway after stopping to check on a toddler was a hoax.
Ms Russell’s disappearance baffled police in Hoover after the 25-year-old’s car was found in the stretch of a highway following a 911 call she made reporting a stranded toddler. She inexplicably reappeared at her parents’ home 49 hours later, claiming she was kidnapped by “a man with orange hair” and was forced to undress and pose for photographs.
After much speculation about the veracity of her claims, Hoover Police Department Chief Nicholas Derzis confirmed on Monday that Ms Russell has admitted to lying about her supposed abduction in a statement she provided through her attorney.
“There was no kidnapping on Thursday, July 13. My client did not see a baby on the side of the road,” the statement read, according to Chief Derzis, who read it at a news conference. “My client apologizes for her actions to this community, the volunteers who were searching for her, to the Hoover Police Department and other agencies as well, as to her friends and family.”
Carlee Russell admits she was never kidnapped, Alabama police say
Carlee Russell’s boyfriend tells others to stop bullying her
05:30 , Josh Marcus
Prior to Carlee Russell revealing her story about being abducted was a lie, her boyfriend pleaded with the public to stop cyberbullying the Alabama nursing student amid mounting suspicion she faked her own abduction.
“I know what it seems like what she did. Just stop bullying on social media,” Thomar Latrell Simmons toldThe New York Post.
“Think about her mental health. She doesn’t deserve that. She doesn’t. Nobody deserves to be cyberbullied.”
Ms Russell, 25, told police she was kidnapped after stopping to help a toddler in diapers walking alone on Interstate 459 on the evening of 13 July.
Police arrived five minutes later to find her red Mercedes still running, and her cellphone, wallet and wig in the car.
While Ms Russell was missing, Mr Simmons appealed for information from the public to help find her.
He later deleted a social media post stating that his girlfriend had been abducted.
Boyfriend of Carlee Russell deletes social media posts
05:00 , Josh Marcus
The boyfriend of Carlee Russell has seemingly deleted social media posts containing photos or mentions of Ms Russell after police cast doubt over her allegations that she was kidnapped.
Her boyfriend, Thomar Latrell Simmons posted on Facebook announcing her return and attesting to her claim that she was kidnapped. He wrote that Ms Russell had been “fighting for her life for 48 hours” and not “physically or mentally stable” enough to speak about her kidnapping.
“I don’t even know how to start off this post but to only say thank you to my lord & savior Jesus Christ for saving my girlfriend’s life!” he said on Sunday.
But after Hoover police revealed they were unable to verify most of Ms Russell’s story on Wednesday, Mr Simmons deleted his posts from Facebook and Instagram.
Mr Simmons did not make any follow-up posts indicating why he deleted his content of Ms Russell.
The Independent has reached out to Mr Simmons for comment.
What did Carlee Russell originally tell police?
04:30 , Josh Marcus
Carlee Nichole Russell gained national notoriety this month after she falsely claimed she was adbudcted on 13 July after calling 911 to report she had seen a toddler walking on the side of Interstate 459 in Alabama.
The 25-year-old stopped her car to check on the child and called a family member before losing contact, she initially told the Hoover Police Department. By the time officers arrived five minutes later, Ms Russell had faked a disappearance, with her car engine still running, and the toddler was nowhere to be found.
When Ms Russell returned on 15 July, she gave a statement to police where she outlined a tale of a horrific kidnapping, which her lawyer now says was false.
Ms Russell initially said after she came across a young boy walking along the side of the highway alone she pulled over and called 911. After that, she called her brother’s girlfriend. During the conversation, she claimed a man with “orange hair” emerged from the woods and picked her up and forced her into a vehicle.
She claims the toddler was used as bait.
Ms Russell said the man then put her into the trailer of a tractor-trailer and drove her to an unknown location where he forced her to undress and took photos of her. She said the man had a female accomplice who fed her cheese crackers.
Eventually, her story went, the kidnappers put Ms Russell in another vehicle, which Ms Russell escaped from and ran home.
Police have been unable to verify nearly all of Ms Russell’s claims.
Carlee Russell sent several bizarre tweets before fake ‘disappearance’
04:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Before 25-year-old Carlee Russell went missing for a mysterious 49 hours – a disappearance, she admitted on Monday, that was staged – she posted a series of bizarre tweets.
On the day she went “missing” on 13 July, she tweeted at 8.55pm: “today was a GREAT day God be looking out im telling you!!”
One minute later, Ms Russell wrote: “someone to tell you ‘i love you’ and don’t got a reason.”
Finally, she tweeted, “yeah i want a family now” at 9.19pm. Just moments later, around 9.30pm, the Alabama woman called 911 and told detectives that she was following a lost toddler along the interstate.
After she returned home, Ms Russell claimed was abducted by a man with “orange hair,” before escaping. She later turned up on foot at her parent’s home with $107 tucked in her right sock, and alleged she had barely survived the encounter.
Carlee Russell sent several bizarre tweets before fake ‘disappearance’
Carlee Russell sent several tweets before fake ‘disappearance'
03:00 , Josh Marcus
Before 25-year-old Carlee Russell falsely claimed to have disappeared for 49 hours, she posted a series of bizarre tweets.
On the day she went missing on 13 July, she tweeted at 8.55pm: “today was a GREAT day God be looking out im telling you!!”
One minute later, Ms Russell wrote: “someone to tell you ‘i love you’ and don’t got a reason.”
Finally, she tweeted, “yeah i want a family now” at 9.19pm. Just moments later, around 9.30pm, the Alabama woman called 911 and told detectives that she was following a lost toddler along the interstate.
someone to tell you “i love you” and don’t got a reason 🥹
— C💫👑 (@carleeenichole) July 14, 2023
What did Carlee Russell originally tell police?
02:00 , Josh Marcus
Carlee Nichole Russell gained national notoriety this month after she falsely claimed she was adbudcted on 13 July after calling 911 to report she had seen a toddler walking on the side of Interstate 459 in Alabama.
The 25-year-old stopped her car to check on the child and called a family member before losing contact, she initially told the Hoover Police Department. By the time officers arrived five minutes later, Ms Russell had faked a disappearance, with her car engine still running, and the toddler was nowhere to be found.
When Ms Russell returned on 15 July, she gave a statement to police where she outlined a tale of a horrific kidnapping, which her lawyer now says was false.
Ms Russell initially said after she came across a young boy walking along the side of the highway alone she pulled over and called 911. After that, she called her brother’s girlfriend. During the conversation, she claimed a man with “orange hair” emerged from the woods and picked her up and forced her into a vehicle.
She claims the toddler was used as bait.
Ms Russell said the man then put her into the trailer of a tractor-trailer and drove her to an unknown location where he forced her to undress and took photos of her. She said the man had a female accomplice who fed her cheese crackers.
Eventually, her story went, the kidnappers put Ms Russell in another vehicle, which Ms Russell escaped from and ran home.
Police have been unable to verify nearly all of Ms Russell’s claims.
Carlee Russell searched for Amber Alerts and the movie ‘Taken’ before disappearing
01:30 , Josh Marcus
Carlee Russell searched for Amber Alerts and the movie Taken just days before falsely claiming she was abducted on 13 July, said police officials.
On 11 July, Ms Russell used her cell phone to search for information on whether payment is required for an Amber Alert, police said during a press conference on Wednesday.
Two days later, on 13 July, Ms Russell conducted two searches related to Amber Alerts using her work computer. One of the searches was about the maximum age for an Amber Alert.
Additionally, she searched for details about the movie Taken, which revolves around an abduction of a teenager, “how to take money from a register without being caught” and information about Birmingham bus tickets.
Police doubt Carlee Russell’s kidnapping claims. Could she face consequences?
01:00 , Josh Marcus
Police in Hoover, Alabama have said they were unable to verify most of Carlee Russell’s claims that she was kidnapped after pulling off to the side of the road while reporting a toddler was walking alone, leading to questions about whether she may face charges.
Police doubt Carlee Russell’s kidnapping claims. Could she face consequences?
Carlee Russell’s boyfriend tells others to stop bullying her
Tuesday 25 July 2023 00:30 , Josh Marcus
Prior to Carlee Russell revealing her story about being abducted was a lie, her boyfriend pleaded with the public to stop cyberbullying the Alabama nursing student amid mounting suspicion she faked her own abduction.
“I know what it seems like what she did. Just stop bullying on social media,” Thomar Latrell Simmons toldThe New York Post.
“Think about her mental health. She doesn’t deserve that. She doesn’t. Nobody deserves to be cyberbullied.”
Ms Russell, 25, told police she was kidnapped after stopping to help a toddler in diapers walking alone on Interstate 459 on the evening of 13 July.
Police arrived five minutes later to find her red Mercedes still running, and her cellphone, wallet and wig in the car.
While Ms Russell was missing, Mr Simmons appealed for information from the public to help find her.
He later deleted a social media post stating that his girlfriend had been abducted.
Mother of murder victim says Carlee Russell ‘disrespected’ parents who have lost a child
Monday 24 July 2023 23:00 , Ariana Baio
A mother in Alabama whose daughter was murdered has spoken out against Carlee Russell, saying her alleged fake kidnapping story was “disrespectful” to parents who have lost a child.
Shea Wardrup Pilkington-Wiley posted on Facebook last Wednesday describing how Ms Russell’s case brought back the same “sickening feelings” she felt when her daughter, Madison Pilkington, was murdered.
“The unanswered calls that kept going to voicemail. The unanswered texts. The sickening feelings we all felt. Remembering shattering like glass and our souls being ripped from our bodies. She dredged it all up to the surface,” Ms Pilkington-Wiley wrote.
“To find it was all a hoax well… I’m freaking angry!” she added. “I’m angry for every parent out there that has lost a child.”
Mother of murder victim says Carlee Russell ‘disrespected’ parents with lost children
Monday 24 July 2023 22:59 , Phil Thomas
Lawyer says Carlee Russell has admitted lying
Monday 24 July 2023 22:59 , Phil Thomas
Carlee Russell’s lawyer has told police that his client now admits her story about being abducted at the side of the road after stopping to help a distressed toddler was a lie.
On Monday Hoover Police Department Chief Nicholas Derzis said Carlee Russell’s attorney, Emory Anthony, had provided a statement saying there was no kidnapping.Chief Dervis read the statement at a news conference.
It read in part: “There was no kidnapping on Thursday July 13. My client did not see a baby on the side on the road.“My client apologizes for her actions to this community, the volunteers who were searching for her, to the Hoover Police Department and other agencies as well, as to her friends and family. We ask for your prayers for Carlee, as she addresses her issues and attempts to move forward, understanding that she made a mistake in this matter. Carlee again asks for your forgiveness and prayers.”Chief Derzis said it was possible that Ms Russell could now face criminal charges. He said that police are still trying to determine where she was in the two days she was gone.“This was an elaborate deal. When you talk about calling 911,” he said.
Carlee Russell admits she was never kidnapped, Alabama police say
Carlee Russell’s parents insist she was kidnapped as police cast doubt on claims
Monday 24 July 2023 22:00 , Ariana Baio
Police have shared their doubt about Carlee Russell’s claims that she was kidnapped, suggesting that her internet search history indicates that she may have staged her own kidnapping.
Her parents have maintained that she was “absolutely” abducted. “There were moments when she physically had to fight for her life, and there were moments when she had to mentally fight for her life,” the mother told the outlet.
“We tried to hug as best we could, but I had to stand back because she was not in a good state,” Talitha Russell told The Daily Beast earlier this week about seeing her daughter return home. “So we had to stand back and let medical professionals work with her.”
“She’s having to deal with the trauma of people just making completely false allegations about her,” she added. “Carlee has given detectives her statement so that they can continue to pursue her abductor.”
Ms Russell’s boyfriend, Thomar Latrell Simmons, wrote on Facebook following his girlfriend’s return. His statement echoed the parents’ theories: “She was literally fighting for her life for 48 hours, so until she’s physically & mentally stable again she is not able to give any updates or whereabouts on her kidnapper at this very moment.”
Carlee Russell: What happened to woman who went missing in Alabama?
Monday 24 July 2023 21:30 , Ariana Baio
