Alabama woman who went missing after calling 911 found alive

HOOVER, Ala. (WBRC/Gray News) – Police say a 25-year-old Alabama woman, who disappeared after calling 911 to report a toddler walking on the side of the interstate, has been found alive.

Per the Hoover Police Department, the Hoover 911 Center received a call at 10:45 p.m. Saturday that 25-year-old Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russell had returned home to her residence.

Hoover Police and Fire responded to the scene to evaluate the woman and took her to the hospital for further evaluation, WBRC reports.

More details will be provided when they become available.

Carlee Russell was reported missing Thursday. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency issued a missing person advisory for her Friday.

Police say the Hoover 911 Center received a call from the 25-year-old around 9:30 p.m. Thursday as she returned home from work. She reported seeing a toddler walking on the side of I-459 South near mile marker 11.

After calling 911, Carlee 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… 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 Carlee Russell’s mother, Talitha Russell.

Authorities found Carlee’s wig, hat and cell phone close to her car. They were unable to find her or a child in the area.

Police said they did not receive any calls of someone missing a small child.

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

According to CrimeStoppers, the reward for information on the case had reached $55,000, as of Saturday morning.

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