Questions Persist After Missing Hoover Woman Returns Alive

TUSCALOOSA, AL — In a stunning overnight development, the Hoover Police Department says 25-year-old Carlee Russell returned to her home late Saturday evening after first being reported missing under strange circumstances Thursday night.

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Hoover Police Chief Nicholas C. Derzis said the department's 911 center received a call at 10:45 p.m. that Russell returned home to her residence, prompting police to respond to the scene.

Medics from the Hoover Fire Department responded to the scene and transported Russell to UAB Medical Center for evaluation. Still, the circumstances of her disappearance remain unclear.

Indeed, on Thursday at 9:34 p.m. the Hoover 911 Center received a call from Russell who was reportedly on I-459 South near mile marker 11.

Police said she reported seeing a toddler walking on the side of the interstate and stopped to check on the child after calling 911.

Russell then is said to have called a family member to report the same details, but the family member lost contact with her. Multiple media outlets reported the family member could still hear background noise from the interstate and at one point believed they heard someone scream — a fact in the case that was relayed to the police.

Additionally, scores of other reports have also claimed that upon her return Russell was in a visible state of shock.

Hoover Police said officers who were already en route to the location of the initial 911 call located Russell's Mercedes and some of her belongings, including her phone but were unable to find her or the child Russell had reported seeing in the area.

What's more, Hoover Police say they have not received any other calls of someone missing a small child.

As part of the search efforts, Derzis says the family coordinated their own search, while Hoover Police partnered with numerous local, state and federal agencies in the effort to locate Russell.

Before being reported missing, police said Russell — also a student at Jefferson State Community College — got off work Thursday at around 8:20 p.m. from a business at The Summit in Birmingham and is believed to have stopped to pick up food from a restaurant at The Colonnade.

She then reportedly traveled toward Hoover on I-459 and stopped between the Galleria flyover and Exit 10 for Highway 150. Traffic camera footage appears to show her vehicle near the exit traveling along the interstate with her hazard lights flashing.

While one witness reported possibly seeing a gray vehicle with a light-complected male standing outside of Carlee's vehicle, no additional information has been released regarding this lead.

Those with any information regarding this case are asked to contact HPD Detective Brad Fountain at (205) 444-7562, Sergeant Drew Mims at (205) 739-7274, or Crimestoppers of Metro Alabama at (205) 254-7777 if you wish to remain anonymous.

This is a developing story. Tuscaloosa Patch will have more information as it comes available.