The boyfriend of an Alabama woman who mysteriously vanished after stopping to help a wandering toddler at the side of an interstate has claimed that she was kidnapped. Carlethia 'Carlee' Nichole Russell, 25, was found alive on Saturday evening, after arriving on foot at her parents' home, following an intense two-day search conducted across multiple states.
Thomar Latrell Simmons, Carlee's boyfriend, has now claimed that she was, in fact, kidnapped. He disclosed that she went missing from the Alabama Interstate 459 highway on Thursday and endured a harrowing struggle for her life over a span of 48 hours before being found. Simmons also said that Russell is presently recuperating after enduring the distressing ordeal.
Lost and Found
Russel's disappearance is shrouded in mystery as her parents believe that the toddler was being used as "bait" to lure their daughter out of her car — before she was mysteriously returned home alive.
"She was literally fighting for her life for 48 hours, so until she's physically & mentally stable again, she is not able to give any updates or whereabouts on her kidnapper at this very moment," Simmons wrote on Facebook Sunday.
Simmons expressed his heartfelt gratitude to everyone who helped in the search for Russell throughout Hoover, Alabama. He also acknowledged the significance of the story gaining traction on social media, which contributed to raising awareness and aiding in her discovery.
"I have been going nonstop since I received the call that she was missing on Thursday night. I know she would've done the same for me, so I wasn't going to give up until I saw her face again," he wrote.
"I just want to thank all of my family, friends, former teammates, & church members who called or texted me just to let me know that they're praying & here for me; you guys don't know how much that meant to me," he added.
Mystery Continues
Simmons claimed that remained resolute and held onto his faith throughout the distressing ordeal despite being falsely accused of any involvement in Russell's disappearance. He continued his relentless search for his girlfriend, all while sharing affectionate photos of the couple together to showcase their love and connection.
"I was straight tunnel vision, even when I would get on social media on my downtime & see some of the false allegations & assumptions about me having something to do with her abduction would have me discouraged at times, but I didn't give up & kept my faith!" he wrote.
Russell mysteriously disappeared on Thursday night after she pulled over on I-459 to assist a wandering toddler, according to the Hoover Police Department.
The nursing student took quick action by calling 911 to report the situation and also contacted her sister-in-law during the incident. However, when cops arrived both Russell and the toddler were missing.
Her parents have now claimed that the child was used as bait to kidnap their daughter. "My daughter-in-law could hear her ask if the child was OK, and the child didn't respond — at least she didn't hear him or her respond," her mother, Talitha Robinson-Russell, told WVTM-TV on Sunday.
"Then she heard our daughter scream."
Two days later, on Saturday, Russell was dropped off at her home in Hoover, Alabama. Police and local reports stated that she "appeared to be in shock" upon her return, suggesting that her ordeal had taken a toll on her.
As of now, it remains unclear where Russell had been since Thursday when she went missing.
She was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation, and authorities decided to give her time to recover before conducting any interviews.
When officers initially arrived at the location off I-459, where Russell had reported the wandering toddler around 9:30 pm on Thursday, they discovered her vehicle and some of her belongings, including her phone. However, both Russell and the child were missing at that time. The investigation into her disappearance is ongoing.
