An Alabama woman who went missing earlier this week after calling 911 to report seeing a toddler stranded on an interstate has been found alive.
Around 10:45 p.m. Saturday, 25-year-old Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russell arrived at her parents’ house in Hoover, Alabama, WBRC-TV reports.
“She walked up, banged on the door and that was her,” Hoover Police Chief Nicholas Derzis told the television station, which reported that Russell “appeared to be in shock.”
Russell was later evaluated at an area hospital, according to WVTM-TV.
Authorities have not released information about what happened to Russell or her present condition, but police do plan to investigate.
“We work with facts,” Derzis told WBRC-TV. “With social media, you got so many people that think they know what’s taken place. Right now, we’re just very pleased that she’s home.”
He added: “The first thing is to give Carlee and family a little time to get themselves back together. I know it’s been a tough experience for them. When we think it’s time to sit down and have a conversation with Carlee and try to get some facts, we’ll do that.”
Russell had called authorities around 9:30 p.m. Thursday to report seeing a toddler wandering alone on Interstate 459. Minutes, later, she was on the phone with her sister-in-law, who said she heard a scream before the line went silent.
Responding officers found Russell’s red Mercedes still running but could not locate her or the reported child. Her phone and purse were still in the vehicle.
The woman’s disappearance prompted searches across the community that included volunteers and local, state and federal law enforcement.
Prior to calling 911, Russell had finished working at a day spa in Birmingham and had picked up dinner before heading to her parents’ home, where she lives.
One witness had reported seeing a male standing near Russell’s vehicle and a gray vehicle parked near the scene.
Russell is a nursing student at Jefferson State Community College, according to AL.com.
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