Carlee Russell Breaks Silence For First Time After Admitting Kidnapping Hoax

Carlee Russell reflected on her year in a post for her 27th birthday.

The Alabama woman who faked her abduction last year has spoken out for the very first time since her sentencing hearing in March. The 27-year-old Carlee Russell wrote a long caption to reflect on her past year on social media on July 22.

According to PEOPLE, the post was made to celebrate Russell’s birthday. She wrote, “I wasn’t going to make a birthday post but I would be remiss not to publicly acknowledge the goodness God has shown to me. He not only allowed me to see another year but He changed the trajectory of my life from the negative place I was in this time last year.”

She continued, “To those who have been there for me, your kindness and support have meant the world to me. Whether it was a text, call, direct message on social media, post, prayer, thoughtful gift, or words of encouragement, nothing was too little and each helped me to fight to live another day. Thank you sincerely for helping me find the light in the darkest of moments.”

Russell acknowledged that she knows she has a long road ahead of her in the court of public opinion but was, overall, optimistic about her future as she has learned from her experience.

“[As] I step into this next year of life, I am filled with hope and optimism toward continuing to overcome challenges, cherishing those who cherish me, and embracing the future and God’s plan for my life with an open heart and mind,” she finished.

In July 2023, Russell, a nursing student, found herself in the media spotlight after making a false 911 call claiming to see a toddler wandering on the side of a highway in a diaper. When police arrived on the scene to find her gone, it all eventually led to her being declared a missing person. A statewide manhunt searching for her ensued, with both local and federal authorities and community members joining in to look for her. Soon after, though, she revealed that the initial call and her disappearance had been a hoax.

She was sentenced to probation for false reporting to law enforcement and falsely reporting an incident. She received no jail time, although there were requests from the prosecutors, but she was found guilty in October 2023 by a judge in Hoover, Alabama.