In July 2023, Carlethia “Carlee” Russell, a nursing student, made headlines when she dialed 911 at 9:34 p.m. while traveling on an Alabama expressway, saying she had seen an unaccompanied child by the side of the road. She however disappeared when police arrived minutes later, resulting in her being listed as missing.
After being charged with faking her own kidnapping, Russell took to her social media accounts on her 27th birthday on July 22 this year to share a lengthy caption reflecting on the past year, as reported by E! News.
She wrote in the post, “I wasn’t going to make a birthday post but I would be remiss not to publicly acknowledge the goodness God has shown to me. He not only allowed me to see another year but He changed the trajectory of my life from the negative place I was in this time last year.”
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She added, “To those who have been there for me, your kindness and support have meant the world to me. Whether it was a text, call, direct message on social media, post, prayer, thoughtful gift, or words of encouragement, nothing was too little and each helped me to fight to live another day. Thank you sincerely for helping me find the light in the darkest of moments.”
In addition, Russell stated that “the work is not finished yet” as she wants to continue working on herself.
She concluded, saying, “[As] I step into this next year of life, I am filled with hope and optimism toward continuing to overcome challenges, cherishing those who cherish me, and embracing the future and God’s plan for my life with an open heart and mind.”
Following the 2023 search and media frenzy, it was revealed that Russell, then 25, had staged her kidnapping after a quarrel with her then-boyfriend – and had never truly gone missing. Just over a week after returning home, she acknowledged to a lawyer that the entire kidnapping had been fabricated.
Russell pleaded guilty to lying to law enforcement and reporting an event fraudulently, but she was spared jail time during her sentencing earlier this year (contrary to the prosecutors’ wishes). Instead, she was given 12 months of probation and ordered to pay nearly $18,000 in restitution and fulfill 100 hours of community service. A judge in Hoover, Alabama found her guilty for the first time in October 2023.
“I made a grave mistake while trying to fight through various emotional issues and stress,” Russell told the judge through tears during her March sentencing.
“I absolutely regret my decision and in hindsight wish I had cried for help in a totally different manner,” she added at the time. “My prayer is that I will be extended grace and be given the opportunity to redeem who I truly am and restore the positively esteemed character that I have worked so hard to obtain for the 25 years of my life prior to this incident.”
