According to NPR Carlee Russell, the ex-Alabama nursing student who disappeared for 48 hours last July after alerting 911 about a stranded toddler, has confessed to charges related to falsely claiming her own abduction.
Russell has acknowledged fabricating the kidnapping story and falsely claiming to have encountered a young child alongside an interstate.
In a recent session at Jefferson County, Alabama’s circuit court, Russell pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors linked to filing a bogus police report.
She has been mandated to reimburse nearly $18,000 and received a sentence of 12 months of supervised probation, community service, and proof of ongoing mental health counseling.
Judge David Carpenter, during the sentencing, opted to suspend Russell’s two six-month sentences, deeming incarceration as an unnecessary strain on government resources.
“One of the most expensive things the government does is incarcerate people … we need to reserve our jail for people who are genuinely a threat to the community,” he said. “Although we are very upset about what you’ve done, you’re not a threat to the community.”
For the first time, the 26-year-old spoke in court as she tearfully apologized to the community for her actions last summer.
“I made a grave mistake while trying to fight through various emotional issues and stress,” Russell said, while addressing the judge. “I’m extremely remorseful for the panic, fear and various range of negative emotions that were experienced across the nation.”
“I want to to specifically acknowledge and take accountability for the pain and embarrassment that I inflicted upon my family, my church family, friends, neighbors, community, and all of those who were directly involved in search efforts for me,” she added.
Russell was ordered to attend a review hearing in October, which will follow up on the amount of restitution that has been paid and the community service she has served.
State prosecutor Clark Morris argued during the sentencing that Russell should be given jail time, despite the charges being misdemeanors.
“This case has always been about respect for law enforcement and respect for this community as a whole,” Morris said.
“Ms. Russell faked a kidnapping, duped the community, and contrived this situation. We, judge, still don’t know, to this day where she was, how she got there, what she was doing, and with whom she was doing it,” she said.