Carlee Russell Charged For Faking Kidnapping: Report
Carlee Russell ‘Booked’ In Alabama Jail After Faking Own Kidnapping: Report
Source: Hoover Police Department
The Alabama woman who admitted staging her own alleged kidnapping in a two-day disappearance that attracted national media attention is facing charges of two misdemeanors, according to a new report.
Carlee Russell, who called 911 to report that there was an unaccompanied toddler walking alongside a busy interstate highway in the city of Hoover, has been charged with “falsely reporting an incident and “making a false statement to police,” AL.com public safety reporter Carol Robinson tweeted on Friday afternoon.
Video footage posted to social media showed Russell leaving her attorney’s office.
The latest developments came days after Russell’s lawyer said in a statement that she was never kidnapped.
AL.com previously reported that Russell could face up to a year behind bars or a year of labor in the county if she is convicted of the offenses.
“Under state law, one is guilty of the Class A misdemeanor of false reporting to law enforcement authorities if he or she ‘knowingly makes a false report or causes the transmission of a false report to law enforcement authorities of a crime,’” AL.com wrote. “Under another section of Alabama law, a person commits the crime of falsely reporting an incident if ‘he or she initiates or circulates a false report or warning of an alleged occurrence.’”
On Monday, Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis during a press conference read a statement from Russell’s attorney admitting to the kidnapping hoax:
Dear Chief Derzis, my client has given me permission to make the following statement on her behalf: There was no kidnapping on July 13, 2023. My client did not see a baby on the side of the road. My client did not leave the Hoover area when she was identified as a missing person. My client did not have any help in this incident, but this was a single act done by herself,’’ Anthony wrote. “My client was not with anyone or at any hotel during the time she was missing.
In the statement, Russell’s attorney said his client wished to issue a public apology and planned to “address her issues” surrounding the events that captured the nation’s attention:
My client apologizes for her actions to the 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 intends to move understanding that she made a mistake. Carlee again asks for your forgiveness and prayers.
What happened to Carlee Russell?
On July 13, Carlee disappeared after calling 911 to report a missing toddler walking along I-459. She was driving in Hoover, a city just a few miles south of Birmingham, Alabama. According to the police, Carlee called a family member after she reported the lone toddler, but when she went to check on the missing child, she lost contact with her family member. According to a report issued by the Hoover Police, Carlee let out a scream before the call dropped. Officers arrived at the scene to find the 25-year-old’s vehicle with all of her belongings inside, but Carlee and the child were nowhere to be found. Before the incident, police did not receive any reports about a missing child along the interstate.
Miraculously, on July 15, authorities were notified that Carlee had returned home on foot. She was taken to UAB hospital for an evaluation, treated and released.
Four days later Hoover Police held their first press conference where authorities presented some surprising facts, including a report that prior to her alleged abduction, Russell used her phone to search for information about Amber Alerts and Taken, the blockbuster film starring Liam Neeson about a pair of women that are kidnapped by human traffickers.
This is a developing story that will be updated as additional information becomes available.
SEE ALSO:
Search History In Carlee Russell’s Phone Revealed Amid Investigation Into Disappearance
Carlee Russell ‘Booked’ In Alabama Jail After Faking Own Kidnapping: Report was originally published on newsone.com
