28 July 2023
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — In a press conference held Friday afternoon, the Hoover Police Department announced that Carlee Russell had been charged with filing a false police report and filing a false statement to law enforcement authorities, a Class A misdemeanor.
The Hoover Police Department (HPD) revealed that Carlee had turned herself in Friday to the Hoover City Police and was released on a $2,000 bond – $1,000 per charge.
During the press conference, Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said HPD have not uncovered anything about her whereabouts during the 49 hours she was missing, and they have not been able to confirm that she acted alone.
The latest press conference comes days after Russell, 25, admitted to lying about being kidnapped earlier this month. Between July 13 and July 15, the Hoover native was missing.
On Monday, July 24, Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis addressed the public in what was HPD’s second press conference since Carlee’s disappearance. There, he read a statement from Russell that had been prepared by her attorney, Emory Anthony, where she admitted that she was not adducted the night of July 13 and that she had not seen a child on I-459.
At 9:30 p.m. July 13, Russell called 911 to report that she saw a toddler on the side of I-459 near Exit 10. When police arrived, she was nowhere to be found. This launched a 49-hour search for Carlee that gained nationwide attention. On July 15, Russell was reported by the Hoover police as having safely returned home.
Four days after her return, parents Talitha Robinson-Russell and Carlos Russell went on the “Today” show where they said they believed their daughter had been kidnapped. That same day, HPD had held a press conference where Derzis recounted what Russell had told police happened to her.
During his recounting, Derzis said Russell reported being kidnapped while she was checking on the child; being made to climb a fence; being kept in a tractor-trailer; being recaptured after an attempted escape; being forced to strip naked; and being fed cheese crackers.
Russell’s search history was also combed through, which a search for the movie “Taken,” a question about Amber alerts and how to take money from a register.
Prior to any charges being brought against her, speculations had circulated on how much money it would cost to cover the efforts that were put into the search for Carlee.
Watch the full press conference at 1 p.m.