Carlee Russell 'hoax': Alabama lawmakers target fake 911 calls
Carlee Russell (Hoover Police Department)
HOOVER, Ala. - Two weeks after an Alabama judge has found Carlee Russell, the woman who allegedly faked her own abduction in July, guilty of two misdemeanor charges, lawmakers are looking to stiffen penalties to prevent any future false reports.
FOX affiliate WBRC in Birmingham reports state Rep. Mike Shaw and several other legislators are working on a new bill when there are back in session in February.
The city of Hoover, where Russell made her now-infamous 911 call, recently passed its own resolution garnering stricter penalties for falsely reporting violent crimes. Statewide legislation would add to it.
"Obviously, we want it to be a deterrent to somebody who thinks about doing this. If you are thinking about creating a false 911 report that creates significant public expense, significant public alarm, and hurts the fabric of your community, we want people to think twice about that," Rep. Shaw told WBRC.
Rep. Shaw admits any new law would need to not discourage people from calling 911, but to prevent false or prank calls which would pull resources from genuine emergencies.
Carlee Russell sentenced in abduction 'hoax'
Russell pleaded not guilty to charges of false reporting of an incident and false reporting to law enforcement, but was found guilty of two misdemeanor charges by a judge on Oct. 11.
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The state recommended one year in jail, six months for each charge. It's the maximum sentence. They also recommended Russell pay a fine of $831 and restitution of $17,974.88.
Russell and her attorney will appeal the decision to the circuit court, according to Fox affiliate WBRC.
Carlee Russell's disappearance
The search for Russell began the night of July 13. That night, she called 911 and then spoke to a family member, saying that she saw a young child walking on the side of Interstate 459 South near Mile Market 11 in Hoover.
Carlee's mother said her daughter was on the phone with a family member when she pulled over to check on the child.
While the family lost contact with Carlee Russell, the line remained open.
When officers arrived at the location, they found Russell's red Mercedes still running by the interstate, but they were unable to find her or a child in the area.
Investigators say no children had been reported missing in the area.
Police say a witness reported seeing a man standing beside Russell’s vehicle just before officers arrived at the scene.
After news of her disappearance spread, a private donor came forward to offer a $25,000 reward, in addition to the $5,000 being offered by Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama. That reward eventually increased to $55,000 and then to over $63,000 with the support of around 60 other donors, the New York Post reported.
$63K RAISED IN CARLEE RUSSELL SEARCH WILL NOT BE REFUNDED
When was Carlee Russell found?
On July 15, two days after her disappearance on Interstate 459, Russell showed up at the front door of the home in Hoover she shared with her parents.
She was taken to a local hospital for evaluation and then released back to her family.
Carlee Russell made abduction-related internet searches, police say
In the days before her disappearance, authorities said she searched for information on her cellphone about Amber Alerts, a movie about a woman’s abduction and a one-way bus ticket from Birmingham to Nashville, Tennessee.
Her phone also showed she traveled about 600 yards while telling a 911 operator she was following a 3- or 4-year-old child in a diaper on the side of the highway, Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said.
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Prior to her disappearance, Russell allegedly took a robe and toilet paper from her job.
Speaking with the TODAY show, Russell's parents stated they believe their daughter was "absolutely" abducted. Days later, Russell's lawyer turned over a written statement to Hoover police stating she fabricated the story of her kidnapping.
Russell was charged with filing a false police report and filing a false statement to law enforcement, both Class A misdemeanors.
Carlee Russell-inspired movie hits Amazon Video
Only two months after the arrest of Carlee Russell and there is already a movie about it ready for streaming on Prime Video.
It’s called "The Nurse That Saw the Baby on the Highway" and can be rented for $1.99 or bought for $4.99 for those interested in the quick-turnaround feature.
This story was reported on from Atlanta.