Carlee Russell from Hoover, Alabama has returned home after more than 48 years of being missing. Her parents and boyfriend have both spoken publicly about her disappearance. So here are some details you should know about Carlee.
Here we will discuss her age, job, current residence and much more.
Meet Carlee Russell, Missing Alabama Woman
An Alabama woman who went missing after reporting to 911 that she saw a toddler walking alone on the side of the highway has returned home, officials said. The child had been missing since Thursday night, when Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russell, 25, contacted 911 and reported seeing her along the side of I-459 South.
According to the Hoover Police Department, Carlee stopped by after calling to check on the child and called a relative who had lost contact with her, although the line was still open. Police said when they arrived at the scene, they did not find Russell or the child, but they did discover Russell’s car and some of her belongings, such as her wig, phone, and purse.
According to a press release from Hoover police on Saturday afternoon, Carlee was reported walking home around 10:45 p.m. When police and firefighters arrived on the scene, she was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was treated and later released, authorities said.
It is unclear where Carlee has been since Thursday, and no further details have been released. Police said they were able to obtain “an initial statement” from Russell. “The details of that statement are part of an ongoing investigation that is expected to continue over the next few days,” the release said.
Police said they are reviewing traffic camera footage as part of the investigation. “That footage is still being analyzed as part of the investigation in conjunction with the 911 call to determine the exact time frame,” the release said.
According to Hoover Police Chief Nicholas Derzis, who spoke to CNN affiliate WBRC, the police department is “very excited” that Carlee is home safe. “We want her to come home safe and healthy — and we hope that’s what happened here,” he said. “And I couldn’t be more excited, and I hope the community feels the same way.”
“The first thing is to give Carlee and her family some time to calm down,” WRBC reported.
“I know it’s been a difficult experience for them. When we think it’s time to sit down and talk to Carlee and try to find out some of the facts, we will do that.”
News of Russell’s disappearance sparked a frantic 48-hour search effort across the area, with police offering a $25,000 reward.
Carlee Russell’s boyfriend
After Carlee Russell returned home, her boyfriend Thomar Latrell Simmons released a statement. He claimed in the statement that Carlee had indeed been kidnapped – and revealed that she had been ‘fighting for her life for 48 hours’ after disappearing off Alabama Interstate 459 on Thursday.
Thomar said Sunday afternoon that his girlfriend was not “physically or emotionally stable” enough to discuss her abductor’s whereabouts right now. Thomar, who shared heartwarming photos of the couple together, said he was wrongly implicated in her kidnapping but “kept the faith” and persevered in his futile search for his lover. The boyfriend, who traveled to New York City last week with Carlee, spoke of his “relentless” search for her and promised to continue “until I see her face again.”
In a lengthy post, Thomar posted online that he began by thanking “our Lord and savior Jesus Christ for saving my girlfriend’s life!” He also thanked anyone who came to Hoover Met to join the search party.
“I have been searching non-stop since I got the call that she was missing on Thursday night,” he wrote. “I know she would do the same to me, so I will not give up until I see her face again!”
Thomar ended the post by saying, “Again I can’t thank you guys enough for helping us bring Carlee home! God bless you all.’ ”
Thomar is from Birmingham, Alabama. He graduated from the University of Alabama. You can find him on Facebook and Instagram. Born in December 1997, Thomar is 25 years old.
Carlee Russell’s age
In 2023, when Carlee Russell went missing, she was just 25 years old.
Who are Carlee Russell’s parents?
Missing Alabama woman Carlee Russell is the daughter of Talitha and Carlos Russell. According to her parents, she was on her way home from work and stopped to get some food at The Colonnade, about 10 minutes from her home.
After it became clear Carlee was missing, the family gathered at the Hoover Met Friday morning to search for Carlee Russell and plead for help. “We’re going to scratch the surface,” said Carlee’s father, Carlos Russell. “Nothing’s going to stop us.”
“My son’s girlfriend heard her ask the kid, ‘Are you okay?’ She never heard the kid say anything but then she heard our daughter screaming,” Talitha said. “From there, all you hear on her phone is the background noise from the interstate.”
Her parents were told that a truck driver had reported seeing her car with the door open and a grey car parked in front of it. The Russells added that they believe Carlee was lured out of the car using the child as “bait”.
After Carlee’s safe return, Talitha posted on Facebook Sunday morning that “God is faithful and he answered (their prayers).” The family is now asking for privacy and plans to speak in the “near future,” according to their post.
Talitha is on Facebook. She graduated from Auburn University in Montgomery and currently lives in Hoover, Alabama.
Carlee Russell’s work
When Carlee Russell went missing, she was returning home from working at the Woodhouse Day Spa in Summit. She had a part-time job there and was taking nursing classes at Jefferson State Community College to become a registered nurse.
Additionally, she holds a BA in Psychology from AUM.
In September 2022, Carlee shared on her IG, “I don’t usually post about what’s going on in my life, but I needed to publicly praise God for showing up for me like this! What a short testimony.”
She added, “I applied to two nursing schools and didn’t get accepted. I started to get discouraged and thought maybe this isn’t what I should do, maybe I’m not good enough for this program, maybe this isn’t the job for me. Then I applied to the UAB BSN joint admissions program, where you can get your BSN and ADN at the same time in 5 semesters!! When I applied, I was discouraged because I got rejected so many times, but then I got a call and they told me I was at the top of the acceptance list! Now, I’m in nursing school and I feel so fulfilled.”
Carlee concluded, “I feel like I am exactly where I need to be and doing exactly what God intended me to do, in His timing! To anyone who has gone through something similar or is going through something right now, relax. Rest and know that God will put you in certain places when IT IS TIME and you have done your part. Discouragement is a trick of the enemy! There is a song I listen to every day and part of it says “If He clothes the lilies with beauty and splendor, how much more will He dress you? If He watches over every sparrow, how much more will He love you?” I know this is not all God has planned for me, this is just the beginning, stay tuned 👩🏾⚕️😉.”
Related FAQs
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Where was Carlee Russell born?
Carlee Russell was born and raised in Alabama.
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Is Carlee Russell on Instagram and Facebook?
No, Carlee Russell doesn’t have a Facebook account but she does have an Instagram account (@carleenichole__).
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What is Carlee Russell’s birthday?
Carlee Russell celebrates her birthday on July 23. She will turn 26 in July 2023.