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More than a week after her disappearance, Carlee Russell admitted she faked her kidnapping more than a week ago.Russell’s attorney released a statement during a press conference on Monday on her behalf saying she acted alone in planning her abduction but did not give more information on why she did it.This new information changes the direction of this investigation and if Russell will face charges. Police are still investigating and wouldn’t say where Russell was in the 49 hours she was missing.“It is what it is,” Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said. “The fact that I think last Wednesday pretty much showed that we knew that it was it was a hoax.”Russell called 911 to report a toddler walking on I-459 after leaving work on Thurs., July 13 and pulled over to help the child. That’s when she said she was kidnapped.“The police chief went and talked to her family and said, ‘Hey, I have everything. I have everything. Do you still want to go forward with this?’ and they stood in that lie for a week,” former criminal defense attorney Eric Guster said.Guster calls the new information from Hoover Police the beginning of the end, especially after they gave a timeline of Russell’s actions — Before her disappearance.“It was frustrating that it took a week to get here because this should have been done last Monday or Tuesday,” he said. “And if it was done Monday or Tuesday, we wouldn’t be talking about it now. A lot of people would have probably forgotten her name by Thursday or Friday.”Through her admission, Russell is asking for forgiveness. “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 as to her friends and family,” Chief Derzis said reading Russell’s statement.Russell’s neighbor Steve Parker said even though she made it all up he doesn’t regret supporting her family during the difficult time.“I’m really glad that community rallied around,” he said. “We as a community here —we’re very supportive of the Russells and would do it again.”But he said Russell now has to live with the decision she made.“I think there should be consequences for anything when something like that happens,” Parker said. “We’ll see how that plays out.”Police are expected to meet with Russell’s attorney on Tuesday. WVTM talked to Bessemer Cut-off District Attorney Lynneice Washington who says she discussed possible charges with police, but that would only come if a warrant were issued for her arrest.
HOOVER, Ala. —
More than a week after her disappearance, Carlee Russell admitted she faked her kidnapping more than a week ago.
Russell’s attorney released a statement during a press conference on Monday on her behalf saying she acted alone in planning her abduction but did not give more information on why she did it.
This new information changes the direction of this investigation and if Russell will face charges. Police are still investigating and wouldn’t say where Russell was in the 49 hours she was missing.
“It is what it is,” Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said. “The fact that I think last Wednesday pretty much showed that we knew that it was it was a hoax.”
Russell called 911 to report a toddler walking on I-459 after leaving work on Thurs., July 13 and pulled over to help the child. That’s when she said she was kidnapped.
“The police chief went and talked to her family and said, ‘Hey, I have everything. I have everything. Do you still want to go forward with this?’ and they stood in that lie for a week,” former criminal defense attorney Eric Guster said.
Guster calls the new information from Hoover Police the beginning of the end, especially after they gave a timeline of Russell’s actions — Before her disappearance.
“It was frustrating that it took a week to get here because this should have been done last Monday or Tuesday,” he said. “And if it was done Monday or Tuesday, we wouldn’t be talking about it now. A lot of people would have probably forgotten her name by Thursday or Friday.”
Through her admission, Russell is asking for forgiveness.
“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 as to her friends and family,” Chief Derzis said reading Russell’s statement.
Russell’s neighbor Steve Parker said even though she made it all up he doesn’t regret supporting her family during the difficult time.
“I’m really glad that community rallied around,” he said. “We as a community here —we’re very supportive of the Russells and would do it again.”
But he said Russell now has to live with the decision she made.
“I think there should be consequences for anything when something like that happens,” Parker said. “We’ll see how that plays out.”
Police are expected to meet with Russell’s attorney on Tuesday. WVTM talked to Bessemer Cut-off District Attorney Lynneice Washington who says she discussed possible charges with police, but that would only come if a warrant were issued for her arrest.
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