Jig’s Up?: Carlee Russell—What We Actually Know So Far

Questions still remain after the disappearance and return of Carlee Russell, prompting a look at the timeline of the situation from last week. After Wednesday’s (July 19) press conference, although plenty of questions were answered, more have sprouted that question the veracity of Russell’s claims.

The disappearance of the nursing student from Hoover, Alabama captured the attention of the country. The circumstances of the incident as well as the return still have people buzzing and expressing skepticism.

The Disappearance

Russell was driving along Interstate 459 when she made a call to 911 at 9:30 P.M. last Wednesday (July 12th), reporting that she saw a male toddler at the side of the road by mile marker 11. She called a family member after the 911 call, saying she was going to check on the child. At that point, the family member lost contact with Russell and said they heard her scream, but the phone line remained open according to the Hoover Police Department.

Authorities arrived on the scene, finding Russell’s cell phone, purse, and wig by her car but no sign of her or the toddler. Further investigation by police noted that she had stopped off at a Target at 8:20 P.M. to get snacks after leaving her job in Birmingham, ten miles north before setting out for her home in Hoover. The purchased food was not present.

The Return

The 25-year-old arrived at the front door of her family’s home on Saturday night (July 15th), barefoot. According to local police, they obtained video surveillance footage showing Russell walking down the street alone in her neighborhood. Medics were called to the residence to treat an “unresponsive but breathing” person. Russell was then taken to UAB Hospital, where she was treated and detectives took an initial statement from her.

Speculation and Skepticism

Many social media users have begun to cast doubt on Russell’s story, noting that authorities shared that there were no other 911 calls about the toddler. The frenzy caused Talitha Russell, Carlee’s mother, to issue a stern and lengthy denial  on Tuesday (July 18th) of any wrongdoing saying “no matter how many demands or false narratives that are produced we will not be bullied into doing anything that will compromise our daughter’s mental well-being or the investigation.”