Weeks following Carlee Russell being reported missing after allegedly spotting a toddler walking along a highway, the 26-year-old has been found guilty on two charges. Russell initially pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor charges for lying to police about being kidnapped in Alabama over the summer.
More from Mom.com: Carlee Russell Investigation Suggests She Staged Kidnapping
Russell is charged with false reporting to law enforcement and falsely reporting an incident, according to WBRC. The state recommended six months for each charge, totaling a maximum of one year in jail. The state also recommended a fine of $831 and $17,974.88 in restitution.
The case is now expected to be appealed in circuit court.
Warrants were initially filed for Russell after the July incident. She turned herself in before she was released on bond.
Carlee Russell arrives at Hoover Municipal Court to face two Class A misdemeanor counts for what police describe as a staged kidnapping in July. https://t.co/SEGjfI5I1a pic.twitter.com/YUL2SOBUFO
— WBRC FOX6 News (@WBRCnews) October 11, 2023
As Mom.com previously reported, the investigation initially suggested that the Alabama native had staged her kidnapping. Police said that despite Russell reporting a child on the side of the highway, there was no evidence indicating such reports.
"She stated when she got out of her vehicle to check on the child, a man came out of the trees and mumbled that he was checking on the baby," Hoover Police Chief Nicholas Derzis said during a press conference. "She claimed that the man then picked her up and she screamed."
Police also shared that initially she was not cooperating with their investigation. It's still not clear if she will face any additional charges.
