Alabama police locate missing woman who reported toddler walking on the highway

(HOOVER, Ala.) — An Alabama woman who went missing on Wednesday after reporting a child walking on the highway returned home late Saturday and was transported to a hospital for evaluation, police said.

The Hoover Police Department said 25-year-old Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russell made a 911 call on Wednesday to report that she saw a toddler walking on the side of Interstate 459 in Alabama at around 9:30 p.m.

Russell then stopped her car to check on the toddler and called a family member to report what she saw. The family member lost contact with Russell, but the line remained open, according to police.

Police who responded to her 911 call found the Russell’s vehicle and some of her belongings at the scene when they arrived. But, they were unable to find her or a child in the area.

Police said they had not received any additional calls of someone missing a small child.

Police said a single witness reported seeing a grey vehicle and a man standing outside Russell’s car, but police have no further information about that person or the vehicle.

Russell was wearing a black shirt, black pants and white Nike shoes, according to police.

An anonymous donor had offered $20,000 for the safe return of Russell and Crimestoppers of Metro Alabama were offering an additional $5,000.

“We are leaving nothing off the table and no stone unturned in investigating some of these facts,” Hoover Police Department Lieutenant Daniel Lowe said at a press conference.

ABC News’ Victoria Arancio contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.