HOOVER, Ala. — UPDATE: In a new conference on July 24, Hoover Police released new information about the Carlee Russell case, including a statement from Russell in which she said she was not abducted, did not see a baby on I-459, and did not leave the Hoover area.
Hoover police chief Nick Derzis said that a meeting had been scheduled for Russell with investigators for earlier in the afternoon, but that he received an email from Carlee Russell's attorney, Mr. Emery Anthony, with a statement "provided by him on her behalf." Derzis was asked to read it in its entirety.
My client has given me permission to make the following statement on her behalf. There was no kidnapping on Thursday, July 13th 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. This was single act done by herself. My client was not with anyone at any hotel with anyone from the time she was missing. My client apologizes for 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, ask for your forgiveness and prayers.
Derzis says that there is a meeting scheduled with Mr. Anthony to further discuss that case and there are discussions with the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office in Bessemer about possible criminal charges related to this case, and they will announce those charges when and if they are filed.
When asked about expense in the case, Derzis said, "Well, it was all hands on deck, and we don't have a dollar figure yet. But we're certainly working towards getting one, and not only ours, but there'll be other agencies that had a lot of support that they gave us, and had monetary expenses themselves."
Carlee Russell is not currently in custody. The case remains under investigation as officials try to determine what happened during those 49 hours, where she was, and anything else that might have happened.
Previous story:
Earlier today, Hoover Police held a news conference to outline the latest facts in Carlee Russell. Carlee Russell is the Hoover woman went missing shortly after she made a 911 call Thursday night, July 13, to report a toddler walking on the side of the highway. She returned home on foot Saturday night, July 15. Exactly what happened during those 49 hours is still unknown. Hoover police, along with other local and state law enforcement and the FBI, are trying to piece together the events and held a news conference to share the latest facts. Hoover police chief Nick Derzis stressed that they are only releasing what they know from the investigation and conversations with Carlee Russell and her family.
An update from police Wednesday provided some details that fill out some of the timeline. All of this information is from the Hoover Police Facebook Page and news conference.
Highlights from the news conference:
Thursday, July 13
8:20 p.m. — Russell leaves work at The Summit in Birmingham. According to surveillance video, she "concealed a dark colored bathrobe, a roll of toilet paper and other items belong to the business prior to her departure." She then picked up food at The Colonnade at Taziki's After that, she went to Target, where she "purchases some granola bars and Cheez-its."
From there she remained in the parking lot at that shopping center until 9:21 p.m. when she drove to I-459. "Carlee communicated on her cell phone with individuals known to her while in her path of travel up to the point of calling 911 at 9:34 p.m."
9:34 p.m. — Russell calls 911, reports seeing a toddler in a diaper on the side of Interstate 459 and says she is stopping to check on him. "The camera footage was obtained that depicted this portion of the incident. And that footage was analyzed as part of the investigation in conjunction with the 911 call and cell phone data to accurately determine the timeframe. Carlee's 911 call remains the only report of a child on the interstate, despite numerous vehicles passing through the area at that time. No one has called report that a child is missing.
The Hoover Police Department did not locate any evidence of a small child walking down the interstate. Data from Carlee's phone, including her Life360 app, shows that she traveled approximately 600 yards in her vehicle or she was on the phone with 911 stating that she was following a child 600 yards. That is six football fields. Straight 600 yards. The Hoover 911 center received a second call from Carlee's mother, saying that a relative was on the phone with her when they heard Carlee scream. And then they had an open phone line. Hoover police officers arrived on the scene within five minutes of being dispatched and several other officers arrived shortly."
Carlee's wig and cell phone were found in the grass near the car. Her purse was located in the front seat with her Apple Watch in the purse. The food she ordered for was also in the car. The items she purchased from Target, as well as the items taken from her place of employment, were not found in or near the car.
Saturday, July 15
After Carlee returned home, she told detectives that while driving down the interstate, she saw a baby walking down the side of the road and called 911. She stated when she got out of her vehicle to check on the child, a man came out of the trees and mumbled that 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. He then forced her into a car and the next thing she remembers is being in the trailer of an 18-wheeler. She said the male was with a female. However, she never saw the female, only heard her voice. She also told the detectives she could hear a baby crying. She told the detectives the male had orange hair with a big bald spot on the back.
She said she was able to escape the 18-wheeler and fled on foot. She said she was captured again and then was put in a car and blindfolded but not tied up because the captor said they did not want to leave impressions on her wrist. She said that they took her into a house and made her get undressed. She believes they took pictures of her but she does not remember them having any physical or sexual contact.
She also told detectives that the next day she woke up and was fed cheese crackers by the female. She said the woman also played with her hair who could not remember anything else. At some point she was put back in a vehicle she claims was able to escape. All it was in the West Hoover area. She told detectives she ran through lots of woods just came out near her residence. During the interview, detectives noted that Carly had a small injury to her lip and she claimed that her head was hurting. She also had a tear in her shirt. Detectives also noted that she had $107 cash in a right sock. Detectives did not press for additional information in this interview, and they plans to speak with her in detaill after giving her time to rest.
Detectives continue analyzing data from calling cell phone that was left behind at the scene. Part of the analysis includes several internet searches in the days leading up to their disappearance we think are very relevant to this case. On July 11 at 7:30 a.m., the term "do you have to pay for an Amber Alert" was searched. On July 13 at 1:03 a.m., the day of her disappearance, the term "how to take money from a register without being caught" was searched. On July 13 at 2:39 a.m., the day of her disappearance, the term "Birmingham bus station" was searched. On July 13 2:35 a.m. a search for "one way bus ticket from Birmingham to Nashville" was conducted with a departure date of July 13. On July 13 at 12:10 p.m., a search for the movie "Taken", a film about an abduction, was conducted.
There were two searches later on Amber Alerts on a computer at Carlee's place of employment, including the one regarding the maximum age of an Amber Alert. There were other searches on Carlee's phone that appeared to shed some light on her mindset and our respect for her privacy, police will not be releasing the content of those searches at this time.
