Carlee Russell disappearance hoax

On July 13, 2023, Carlethia Nichole Russell, a nursing student born July 22, 1997, called 911 at 9:34 p.m. reporting that she had stopped along Interstate 459 in Hoover, Alabama, after seeing an unattended young child on the roadside. She then called a family member with the same report before contact was lost, though the line remained open. Police later found Russell's car abandoned at the location she had described, and she was reported missing for 49 hours.

Russell reappeared at her parents' house on July 15, 2023, and was taken to a hospital, where she gave a brief statement to police. She said she had been abducted by a man and placed inside a tractor-trailer, that she escaped but was recaptured and put into a car, and that she was undressed and photographed while blindfolded but not bound at the wrists in order to avoid leaving ligature marks. She said she eventually escaped again and returned home. Her disappearance drew widespread attention on social media, and Crime Stoppers raised more than $63,000 in reward money to support the search for her.

The Hoover Police Department stated it had been "unable to verify" most of Russell's account and that continuing investigation had "cast doubt on much of Ms. Russell's account." Investigators noted that her internet search history in the days before her disappearance included queries such as "Do you have to pay for an Amber alert," "How to take money from a register without being caught," "Birmingham bus station," "One way bus ticket from Birmingham to Nashville," and searches related to the film Taken. Police also said they found no evidence of a child walking along the interstate and had received no other calls reporting a toddler on the roadway.

On July 24, 2023, Russell's attorney, Emory Anthony, announced that Russell had admitted the kidnapping claim was a hoax, stating there had been no kidnapping, no child on the road, and no assistance from anyone else, and that Russell had acted alone throughout the incident. Russell was subsequently charged with two class A misdemeanors: false reporting to law enforcement authorities and falsely reporting an incident.

Russell pleaded not guilty, but on October 11, 2023, Municipal Judge Brad Bishop found her guilty based on the recommendation of state prosecutors. Bishop recommended a one-year jail sentence, $17,874 in restitution, and two fines of $831 each; Russell's attorneys argued against jail time and indicated she would appeal for a jury trial, an option available under the state constitution for cases with potential jail time despite Alabama municipal courts not using juries.

In March 2024, Russell pled guilty to two counts of filing false police reports and was sentenced to one year of probation, 100 hours of community service, and an $18,000 fine. After the plea, Russell said she "made a grave mistake while trying to fight through various emotional issues and stress," describing her actions as a cry for help.