Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russell, the Alabama woman who went missing on Wednesday after reporting a child walking on the highway, returned home late Saturday. She was taken to a hospital, police said, before being released.
The Hoover Police Department said the 25-year-old made a 911 call on Wednesday to report that she saw a toddler walking on the side of Interstate 459 in Alabama at around 9:30 at night.
Russell then stopped her car to check on the toddler and called a family member to tell them what she saw. The family member then lost contact with Russell, though the call line remained open, according to police.
Police who responded to her initial 911 call found Russell’s vehicle and some of her belongings at the scene when they arrived, but she nor the child were there. Police could not confirm that there was a small child on the highway, but are analyzing traffic footage.
Police said a single witness reported seeing a grey vehicle and a man standing outside Russell’s car, but there is no further information on him as of now.
Then, at 10:44 PM on Saturday, police got another 911 call: Russell was home, having returned on foot.
Hoover Fire Department medics checked on Russell before moving her to UAB Hospital for evaluation.
“Detectives responded to the residence and to UAB to take an initial statement from Carlee,” Hoover police said in the statement. “The details of that statement are a part of the ongoing investigation which is expected to continue over the next few days.”
