A 25-year-old Alabama woman, Carlethia "Carlee" Nichole Russell, disappeared on Thursday night after contacting 911 to report a small child walking alone along Interstate 459 South near Birmingham. Russell pulled over to check on the child and called a family member. During the call, she suddenly stopped speaking, but the line remained open.
Hoover police officers arrived at the scene to find Russell's vehicle and some personal belongings, but neither Russell nor the child were present. Her cell phone was also discovered at the scene. A witness reported potentially seeing a light-skinned male standing near Russell's vehicle.
Prior to the incident, Russell left work at The Summit in Birmingham around 8:20 p.m. and is believed to have stopped at a restaurant for takeout. The 911 call was made at 9:34 p.m. from mile marker 11 on I-459. Authorities have stated that no missing children were reported in the area.
Russell's mother, Talitha Russell, shared that she heard her daughter scream through the phone before the line went silent. "My daughter-in-law heard her ask the child if they were okay, then nothing. After that, we heard Carlee scream," she stated. Russell is described as being 5'4" and weighing between 150-160 lbs.
