Alabama nursing student Carlee Russell was charged with two misdemeanors, including making a false report, after she went missing for two days and told a fake tale about being abducted, authorities said Friday.
Russell turned herself in to police at the Hoover city jail Friday afternoon, Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis told reporters. She was charged with false reporting of an incident and false reporting to law enforcement, both misdemeanors.
Russell was released from jail after posting $1,000 bail for each charge.
“This story opened wounds for families of loved ones who really were victims of kidnapping, some of which even helped organize searched in hopes they could find Carlee alive,” Derzis said.
Russell, 24, dialed 911 on July 13 at around 9:34 p.m. to report a toddler walking along the southbound side of Interstate 459 near Birmingham, according to the Hoover Police Department.
She would return home on July 15 at around 10:45 p.m. near where police say she was seen walking along the sidewalk beforehand.
Russell’s attorney, Emery Anthony, said in an emailed statement to the Hoover Police Department that his client admitted to never seeing a baby on Interstate 459 and was never a missing person.
“My client did not have any help in this incident. This was a single act done by herself,” the statement said. “My client was not with anyone or any hotel with anyone from the time she was missing. My client apologizes for her actions to this community, the volunteers who were searching for her, to the Hoover Police Department and other agencies as well and to her friends and family.”
Russell’s fake story scared the surrounding community amid fears a potential kidnapper was on the loose and prompted authorities to search for the baby and suspects that never existed.
On Friday, Derzis noted that existing laws only allowed authorities to charge Russell with misdemeanors. He said he would reach out to lawmakers to urge them to add additional penalties for the false reporting of a violent crime.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said his office will assist in the handling of the charges against Russell.
“We don’t see this as a victimless crime,” Marshall said. “There are significant hours spent, resources expended, as a result of this investigation. Not only that, but the many men and women who are civilians who wore those yellow vests on a hot afternoon and evening looking for someone they thought was abducted and trying to be of assistance.”
During a press conference on Monday, Derzis said that officials still don’t know Russell’s whereabouts during the 49 hours she was missing.
“We still don’t know what happened in those 49 hours, where she was. Did she have any help? We have no idea,” Derzis said. “We wanted the focus to be, ‘bring her home.’ She got home. We’re very excited about that.”
“That facts that I (spoke about) last Wednesday pretty much showed that we knew it was a hoax,” Derzis said.
Police earlier said that Russell took toilet paper and a bathrobe from the Woodhouse Spa Birmingham, her employer. She later picked up food for takeout and was later seen getting snacks at Target.
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