Audio recordings reveal that 25-year-old Carlethia "Carlee" Nichole Russell reported seeing a toddler in a diaper alongside Interstate 459 South near Birmingham, Alabama, before her disappearance on July 13th. After calling 911, Russell reportedly contacted a family member. During this call, she stopped speaking, but the line remained open. Upon arrival, officers found Russell's belongings, including her cell phone, but she was nowhere to be found.

Prior to the incident, Russell left her workplace near The Summit in Birmingham around 8:20 p.m., likely stopping for takeout before placing the 911 call. Russell reappeared at her home on July 15th at 10:45 p.m. and was briefly hospitalized. The 911 dispatcher's record indicates Russell described the child as a white male, aged 3 to 4, wearing a T-shirt and a diaper. Despite a search, neither Russell nor the child were located at the scene. Police found her phone near her vehicle.

The Hoover Police Department's Tuesday night press release stated a lack of evidence corroborating the presence of a child on the interstate, despite multiple vehicles passing through the area. Investigators also discovered that Russell purchased snacks at a Target after getting food, but these snacks were missing from her vehicle. Surveillance footage shows Russell walking on the sidewalk in her neighborhood before reaching her parents' home.

Authorities are currently analyzing evidence to reconstruct the events of the 49 hours Russell was missing, as well as the circumstances leading up to her disappearance. C. Stuart Rome, owner of Woodhouse Spa Birmingham, expressed relief at Russell's return and confirmed his cooperation with the Hoover Police Department's investigation.

Rome emphasized the sensitive nature of the investigation and the potential harm caused by leaked information.