Alabama woman, Carlee Russell, pleads guilty to faking her own kidnapping, avoids prison sentence.

Carlee Russell, a woman from Alabama, admitted to and apologized for fabricating her own kidnapping last year. She pleaded guilty in court to two misdemeanor charges of making a false police report. Russell attributed her actions to stress and emotional struggles, and expressed deep remorse for the panic and fear her deceit caused among the public, and the embarrassment it brought upon her family and community. She publicly acknowledged the negative impact of her actions towards all those involved, including law enforcement agencies that wasted resources on her case.

Russell’s case became a national concern when she reported a child walking along a highway and then mysteriously disappeared in July 2023. Authorities found her vehicle and personal effects, but she was nowhere to be found. After two days, Russell returned home, claiming she had been abducted and managed to escape her captors. Further investigation into the incident led authorities to Russell’s questionable internet search history, which included inquiries about Amber Alerts and ways to steal money without getting caught.

Subsequently, Russell revealed that the kidnapping incident was a hoax. She was found guilty of two misdemeanor charges by a municipal court judge in October. Initially, Russell pleaded not guilty, with her attorneys stating plans to appeal the case. However, Jefferson County Circuit Court later scheduled a jury trial for March which didn’t take place due to Russell’s plea hearing.

During Thursday’s hearing, Russell expressed her apologies to the authorities and personnel involved in the search for her. She took full responsibility for misusing resources that could have been utilized elsewhere and expressed regret for the position she put law enforcement in due to her actions. Russell insisted that her actions were not intended to harm anyone, and she hoped that her sincere apologies would be accepted as she moved forward to restore her life.

In response to her sentencing, Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis expressed dissatisfaction, stating that the decision not to give Russell any jail time was disappointing. He opined that her apology should have been extended months earlier, around the time of the incident. He also pointed out that the ordered restitution amount of $17,974.88 did not adequately cover the money spent by the department on the search operation, estimating the real expenditure to be around $40,000-$50,000. Despite his dissatisfaction, the sentence handed down to Russell included one year of supervised probation, 100 hours of community service, restitution payment to the city of Hoover, Alabama, and a mandate to continue her mental health counseling.