Alabama woman Carlee Russell's car seen in traffic cam video before disappearance
Hoover, Alabama police are reviewing traffic camera video from I-459 that shows Carlee Russell's car, seen driving slowly in the emergency lane with warning lights, pull over before she went missing July 13. (Courtesy: TCA)
Alabama police said in a new update Monday that investigators are scrutinizing traffic camera video after a missing woman who reported spotting a child on the interstate has returned.
The Hoover Police Department provided more details about what is known so far in the disappearance of 25-year-old Carlethia "Carlee" Nichole Russell. Authorities say she returned to the home where she lives with her family on foot late Saturday night – more than 48 hours after going missing and calling 911 and a relative to report spotting a child on the side of I-459.
Investigators are now analyzing traffic camera video from the interstate that shows Russell's car pull over before she went missing.
Mystery remains around whether she was abducted – and if so, by whom – and how she managed to come back home. It is also unclear if there's an active search for a child. Upon her return home, Russell was taken to the hospital for an evaluation, and though she gave an initial statement to detectives, police are being tightlipped at this stage of their probe.
The Hoover Police Department said in a press release that 25-year-old Carlethia "Carlee" Nichole Russell called 911 at 9:34 p.m. Thursday to report a toddler walking on the side of Interstate 459 near Birmingham, Alabama. (Hoover Police Department)
"Traffic camera footage was obtained which depicted this portion of the incident, and that footage is still being analyzed as part of the investigation in conjunction with the 911 call to accurately determine the timeframe. Carlee’s 911 call remains the only timely report of a child on the interstate," Hoover police said Monday.
The investigation is piecing together the timeline of events between when Russell placed a 911 call at 9:34 p.m. on July 13 to when her family reported that she returned home at approximately 10:44 p.m. July 15. Police said Russell left work from a business at The Summit in Birmingham at approximately 8:20 p.m. July 13.
She ordered food from a nearby business at The Colonnade and traveled there, police said.
"We have worked to retrace all of her actions from the time she left The Colonnade until she called 911 and are well on our way to completing that task. At this point in the investigation, we have not been able to locate anyone with Carlee from the time she left The Colonnade until the 911 call was made," police said.
"Carlee communicated on her cellphone with individuals known to her while on her path of travel up to the point of calling 911 at 9:34 p.m. The conversation with the 911 operator ended and Carlee called a relative. She went missing during that conversation sometime after 9:36 p.m. after telling both the 911 operator and the relative she had seen a male toddler in a diaper on the side of I-459 and was stopping to check on him," police said.
Hoover police are reviewing traffic camera video from I-459 that shows Carlee Russell's car, seen driving slowly in the emergency lane with warning lights, pull over before she went missing July 13. (Courtesy: Hoover Police Department/TCA)
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"Hoover Police officers arrived on scene within five minutes of being dispatched, and several other officers arrived shortly behind," Monday's update continued. "They located Carlee’s wig, cellphone and purse on the roadway near her vehicle, and Carlee’s Apple Watch was in her purse. Investigators with the Crimes Against Persons Unit were notified and the investigation immediately began in earnest with numerous leads being followed. Many local, state and federal agencies immediately offered assistance and provided personnel and other resources to the investigation. No stone was left unturned and the investigation continued throughout the weekend."
The police went on to say that at 10:44 p.m. Saturday, the Hoover 911 center got a call from Carlee’s home that she returned on foot.
"She was immediately transported by the Hoover Fire Department to UAB Hospital to be evaluated and was treated and released," police said. "Detectives responded to the residence and to UAB to take an initial statement from Carlee. The details of that statement are a part of the ongoing investigation which is expected to continue over the next few days. During the initial portion of the investigation detectives were able to retrace nearly all of Carlee’s steps until the point she went missing and are confident that will continue to be the case."
Officers arrived at the scene shortly after Russell's car and some of her belongings were found nearby, but police didn't find the woman or the child who she called 911 about. (Hoover Police Department)
The Hoover Police Department said Monday it "continues to be extremely grateful for the outpouring of support from the Hoover community and beyond, and all of the assistance provided by our law enforcement partners which are too numerous to name. We rejoice with the Russell family as they continue to rest and recover from this situation and ask for their wishes to be respected regarding their privacy. This release contains all the information the Hoover Police Department is able to release at this time."
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Russell’s boyfriend, Thomar Latrell Simmons, wrote on Facebook that Russell had been "fighting for her life for 48 hours, so until she’s physically and mentally stable again she is not able to give any updates or whereabouts on her kidnapper at this very moment."
Her mother, Talitha Robinson-Russell, asked for privacy "to allow us to just love on our daughter and each other with our close family and friends." "Also, please consider the fact we have not slept for 3 nights and we are mentally and physically exhausted," she wrote on Facebook.
"Our baby is safe!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Father God," she wrote Sunday. "To our media friends, I promise we will speak with you and give a general statement in the near future as this is an ongoing investigation. We consider the media outlets that cared enough to share this story, law enforcement agencies, special investigators, city leaders to be our friends and we will be respectful of all. For everyone that has messaged or called to rejoice with us, we are so grateful for your concern!"
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