Found Alive AL - Carlethia “Carlee” Russell, 25, 911 call reported toddler walking on side of interstate, car found, she & toddler gone, Birmingham, 13 Jul ‘23

[imstilla.grandma]

Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russell, 25.(Source: Hoover Police)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Hoover Police say on July 13, around 9:30 p.m., the Hoover 911 Center received a call from a 25-year-old woman on I-459 South near mile marker 11 who reported she saw a toddler walking on the side of the interstate.

After calling 911, the woman stopped to check on the child and called a family member to report the same details. The family member lost contact with her, but the line remained open.

Police say officers who were already en route to the location of the initial 911 call located the female’s vehicle and some of her belongings nearby, but were unable to find her or a child in the area. Hoover Police have not received any other calls of someone missing a small child.

Detectives are currently investigating this incident and are requesting the public’s assistance to help locate the missing person. She is identified as Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russell, a 25-year-old black female who is 5′4, 150-160 pounds.

Authorities say Russell was last seen wearing a black shirt, black pants and white Nike shoes.

Anyone who believes they may have seen Russell or may have any information about this case is asked to call Detective Brad Fountain at 205-444-7562.

Carlee Russell turns herself in to the Hoover City Jail, charged with 2 misdemeanors

The Hoover Police Department released new details in their investigation of what happened between Carlee Russell’s disappearance last Thursday night, July 13, and her return home on Saturday night, July 15.

www.wbrc.com

According to Hoover Police, Carlethia “Carlee” Russell called police to report a toddler walking on the side of I-459 near Exit 10 around 9:30 pm on Thursday. Russell then called a family member to tell them she was stopping to check on the child.

When police arrived in the area they located Russell’s car and some of her belongings nearby, but did not find her or a child.

$25k reward offered for missing Hoover woman

HOOVER, Ala. (WIAT) — Police are asking for the public’s help locating a missing 25-year-old woman.

www.cbs42.com

 

[MFH]

Oh my gosh this is the most terrifying thing. Woman disappears after calling 911 to report seeing child alone on I-459 in Hoover; search underway

Personally from the area, this is a highly traveled interstate and area in Birmingham. Makes me sick to my stomach as I could have easily been in the same situation.

 

[spangled]

Such a bizarre set of circumstances... nobody else saw a toddler, and one hasn't been reported missing?

 

[MFH]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1679856580370595840

 

[Laughing]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1679856580370595840

Can someone summarize, for those of us not on Twitter? (We can't read them any more.)

Did someone use a toddler as bait to stop a driver? Didn't that happen recently?

Oh, this one, also Alabama!

GUILTY - AL - Adam Simjee, 22, a carjacking turned robbery turned child in the woods with a gun, 2022

https://sports.yahoo.com/woman-fakes-being-stranded-then-163443152.html Complex story

www.websleuths.com

 

[sleepysleuth]

This is so horrifying, I am very concerned for Carlee.

 

[iamnotagolem]

Was the toddler bait? This is so scary.

 

[iamnotagolem]

Dup dbm

 

[MrsWatson]

Can someone summarize, for those of us not on Twitter? (We can't read them any more.)

Did someone use a toddler as bait to stop a driver? Didn't that happen recently?

Oh, this one, also Alabama!

GUILTY - AL - Adam Simjee, 22, a carjacking turned robbery turned child in the woods with a gun, 2022

https://sports.yahoo.com/woman-fakes-being-stranded-then-163443152.html Complex story

www.websleuths.com

A link to the article on AL.com

Search continues for Carlee Russell: Woman vanished in Hoover after reporting child walking on I-459

Russell reportedly stopped to check on the child and has not been heard from since.

www.al.com

 

[LaineyJ]

Was the toddler bait? This is so scary.

This was my first thought. But doesn’t that run the risk of the kid getting hit by a car or something? I haven’t seen what this road/highway looks like so unsure of the layout.

Also… using a child as bait (and I wish I could think of a better term for that) means they’re looking for some random person to victimize - but for what? Her car and at least some belongings were left behind. You might get a 16 year old girl who stops, you might get an 80 year old man. It’s just odd.

Sorry, kinda jumped off your post!

 

[Inthedetails]

This was my first thought. But doesn’t that run the risk of the kid getting hit by a car or something? I haven’t seen what this road/highway looks like so unsure of the layout.

Also… using a child as bait (and I wish I could think of a better term for that) means they’re looking for some random person to victimize - but for what? Her car and at least some belongings were left behind. You might get a 16 year old girl who stops, you might get an 80 year old man. It’s just odd.

Sorry, kinda jumped off your post!

Maybe it's not a real toddler?

But, I agree - you don't know who would stop. Could be a cop!

jmo

 

[NervousNellie]

Yikes! I guess the information in that tweet confirms what I assumed had happened...

From this article:

Search continues for Carlee Russell: Woman vanished in Hoover after reporting child walking on I-459

Russell reportedly stopped to check on the child and has not been heard from since.

www.al.com

[Carlethia's Mom] said a tip was called in from a trucker who was traveling along I-459 at the time of Carlee Russell’s disappearance.

“He saw her red car with the door open and he saw a grey car with a tall brown skinned man with khaki shorts on leaning over in the car,’’ Talitha Russell said.

“The police did find some tire tracks in the grass,’’ she said. “They said because it was not a muddy area, they were not able to determine what type of vehicle it could have been.”

 

[LaineyJ]

Yikes! I guess the information in that tweet confirms what I assumed had happened...

From this article:

Search continues for Carlee Russell: Woman vanished in Hoover after reporting child walking on I-459

Russell reportedly stopped to check on the child and has not been heard from since.

www.al.com

[Carlethia's Mom] said a tip was called in from a trucker who was traveling along I-459 at the time of Carlee Russell’s disappearance.

“He saw her red car with the door open and he saw a grey car with a tall brown skinned man with khaki shorts on leaning over in the car,’’ Talitha Russell said.

“The police did find some tire tracks in the grass,’’ she said. “They said because it was not a muddy area, they were not able to determine what type of vehicle it could have been.”

Article says wig and hat left behind. That sounds in line with a violent encounter - maybe she was grabbed by the hair.

This is odd and extremely sad. Was that second car there already when she pulled over? I would assume not, because you’d think the car belonged to whoever was with the child. Despite the fact the child was on the side of the road/highway… but then how would the car randomly get to that spot JUST as a Good Samaritan stopped?

Is this actually random? Or did someone know her routine or was at least clued into her specific plans that night?

Gotta say, if a real or fake child was used to lure someone, imo it is more likely a woman would notice and stop. But that’s jmo. So if random, perhaps suspect had that line of thinking.

Iirc article said a cop was on scene within 3 minutes. That is scary — disappeared so quickly.

 

[ElizB]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1679894546015043584

 

[marloweclover]

I made a map of the places of interest. This is a heavily traveled road; I-459 is the bypass around downtown Birmingham. You may notice however, as I did, that this particular small area southbound does not have a parallel access road or surface streets directly adjacent.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

 

[Knox]

Talitha Russell said the last time she spoke with her daughter Carlee was around 9:18 Thursday night when she left Taziki’s after picking up food and was headed home.

Hoover Police say around 9:30 p.m., the Hoover 911 Center received a call from a 25-year-old woman on I-459 South near mile marker 11 who reported she saw a toddler walking on the side of the interstate.

After calling 911, Russell stopped to check on the child and called her sister-in-law around 9:36 p.m. to report the same details. The family member lost contact with her, but the line remained open.

“In the process at some point she got out of the car and my daughter-in-law could hear her asking the child if they were OK. The child did not respond, or at least she did not hear her respond, he or she respond. And then she heard our daughter Carlee scream and from there on all we could hear was noise...background noise in her phone which we later found out was noise from the interstate,” said Talitha Russell.

Authorities found Carlee’s wig, hat and cell phone close to her car. Carlee’s mom said since her wig came off, Carlee’s hair will be braided down to her scalp. Authorities were unable to find her or a child in the area. Hoover Police have not received any other calls of someone missing a small child.

Carlee’s mom said they do have some indication there may have been a gray vehicle that a trucker saw that pulled in front of Carlee’s car at some point as they were passing along the interstate.

Carlee Russell turns herself in to the Hoover City Jail, charged with 2 misdemeanors

The Hoover Police Department released new details in their investigation of what happened between Carlee Russell’s disappearance last Thursday night, July 13, and her return home on Saturday night, July 15.

www.wbrc.com

Would it be likely that Carlee's possible abduction was random and not targeted?

 

[Knox]

@marloweclover - did you want that personal info listed on your map link?

 

[marloweclover]

@marloweclover - did you want that personal info listed on your map link?

Not particularly; then again if anyone really wanted to find me they could even without it. Idk how to remove it though.

 

[GooseyPie]

I think something is off here, maybe Carlee had a psychotic break, seems like she is under a lot of stress. That is an expensive car she is driving wonder if she has to make payments.

 

[ElizB]

Talitha Russell said the last time she spoke with her daughter Carlee was around 9:18 Thursday night when she left Taziki’s after picking up food and was headed home.

Hoover Police say around 9:30 p.m., the Hoover 911 Center received a call from a 25-year-old woman on I-459 South near mile marker 11 who reported she saw a toddler walking on the side of the interstate.

After calling 911, Russell stopped to check on the child and called her sister-in-law around 9:36 p.m. to report the same details. The family member lost contact with her, but the line remained open.

“In the process at some point she got out of the car and my daughter-in-law could hear her asking the child if they were OK. The child did not respond, or at least she did not hear her respond, he or she respond. And then she heard our daughter Carlee scream and from there on all we could hear was noise...background noise in her phone which we later found out was noise from the interstate,” said Talitha Russell.

Authorities found Carlee’s wig, hat and cell phone close to her car. Carlee’s mom said since her wig came off, Carlee’s hair will be braided down to her scalp. Authorities were unable to find her or a child in the area. Hoover Police have not received any other calls of someone missing a small child.

Carlee’s mom said they do have some indication there may have been a gray vehicle that a trucker saw that pulled in front of Carlee’s car at some point as they were passing along the interstate.

Carlee Russell turns herself in to the Hoover City Jail, charged with 2 misdemeanors

The Hoover Police Department released new details in their investigation of what happened between Carlee Russell’s disappearance last Thursday night, July 13, and her return home on Saturday night, July 15.

www.wbrc.com

Would it be likely that Carlee's possible abduction was random and not targeted?

From what we know so far, it seems random.

At least the police were on this immediately. I live about an hour north of Birmingham and it’s all over social media, tv, etc.