Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Alabama Kidnap Faker Avoids Jail

Episode Date: May 11, 2024

Carlee Russell calls 911, telling the operator that she sees a toddler walking down the side of an Alabama freeway.  When police arrive, there's no toddler and  Russell is gone. Her car, however, is still parked along the highway. The door is open and the car is running. Forty-nine hours later, Russell returns home, telling investigators in a brief interview that she was abducted by a man with orange hair and a woman.   As the investigation continued, police find some “really strange” internet searches in the hours before she vanished, such as the cutoff age for an AMBER Alert.   Now Russell admits via a statement from her lawyer that there was no toddler or abduction.  In a Jefferson County, Ala., circuit court  Russell ordered to pay nearly $18,000 in restitution and  sentenced to 12 months of supervised probation, community service and evidence of continued mental health counseling.   Judge David Carpenter suspended Russell's two six-month sentences, saying jail time would be a "waste of government resources."   Joining Nancy Grace today: James Shelnutt – Attorney – The Shelnutt Law Firm, P.C.; 27-year Atlanta Metro Area Major Case Detective and Former S.W.A.T. Officer; Twitter: @ShelnuttLawFirm Caryn Stark – Psychologist- Trauma and Crime Expert; Twitter: @carnpsych Sheryl McCollum – Cold Case Investigative Research Institute Founder; Host of new podcast, “Zone 7;” Twitter: @ColdCaseTips Lee Reiber – Mobile Device Forensic Expert, COO: Oxygen Forensics, Inc., Author: “Mobile Forensic Investigations: A Guide to Evidence Collection, Analysis, and Presentation” Mike Hadsell – President and Founder of Peace River K9 Search and Rescue; Twitter: @K9River Savannah Sapp – Multimedia Journalist and Reporter for WAFF48 in Alabama; Twitter: @Savannah Sapp/Instagram:@savannahsapp.tv/Facebook:SavannahSappWAFF48  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. I can't believe it. The Alabama kidnap faker, Carly Russell, has somehow managed to avoid jail. She gets one year probation and $18,000 fine. Ouch. Gosh, if she's faking a big one like this at 26, what will she be doing at 36? Do you remember Carly Russell, the cute, cute, cute 26 year old causing a national panic when she goes missing only to miraculously be saved by herself, claiming she was kidnapped by a couple on the side of the road. Wow. Straight probation. After all she put us through, the Alabama woman who faked a story about a kidnapping has been ordered to pay 18 grand restitution and get straight probation. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. Thanks for being with us.

Carly Russell, age 26, charged with two misdemeanors for false statements last July when she told cops she was kidnapped after going missing for several days. You remember what happened? She claimed she saw a toddler on the side of the road and left her car, pulled over and left her car to go save the tot. What a load of BS, technical legal term. Remember this? Where was she for those 49 hours? She said she stayed in Hoover the entire time and no one helped

her. So where was she for those 49 hours? Where did she sleep? Where did she stay? How did she leave that area where she abandoned her red Mercedes sedan? You're hearing our friends at WVTM with me, an all-star panel to make sense of what we know right now. 25-year-old Carly Russell says that she is only trying to render aid to a tot boy walking along the interstate wearing nothing but a diaper and a shirt. Then she goes missing for 49 hours, throwing her family and the Hoover PD into chaos as they search for her literally around the clock. People donating nearly $70,000 to help find her. One anonymous donor giving $25,000. The boyfriend that defended her to the hilt has now broken up with her and says, quote, I'm disgusted.

Well, I second that emotion. Guys, I want you to hear what the chief of the Hoover PD has to say in our cut 54. Mr. Anthony asked that I read the statement in its entirety, which I will do now. My client has given me permission to make the following statement on her behalf. There was no kidnapping on Thursday, July 9th, 13th, 2023. My client did not see a baby on the side of the road. My client did not leave the Hoover area when she was identified as a missing person. My client did not have any help in this incident, but this was a single act done by herself. My client was not with anyone or any hotel with anyone from the time she was missing. Okay, let me understand that. That is Chief Nick Dervis from the Hoover PD reading a statement of a lawyer who has been given a statement by Curly Russell.

Woman, get out there and apologize yourself for Pete's sake. But you're hearing from Curly Russell through her lawyer, through the chief. But I want you to hear this, too. Now, you hear the chief saying there was no baby. There was no one in danger. I was never missing. Now, take a listen to Hour Cut 7, the 911 call. Listen to how rich in detail it is.

442 for a 71. 42. 71. It's how rich in detail it is. 442 for a 71. 72. 71. It's going to be 459 South, mile marker 10. It's going to be a child walking on the, three or four-year-old child walking on the side of the interstate next to her. RP's going to be close by in a red Mercedes sedan with the hazards on. Child's going to be a white male wearing a white T-shirt and a diaper.

42, copy. From the YMCA. 10-4. 4-42. RV's advising there's no cars in the area. Looks like the child's been abandoned on the side of the road. 42, copy. 4-1, you still got a little phone?

Negative, but she's saying that she would stand by for police. 42, call the RV back. She's not at their vehicle. Now, remember, police got to the scene in about four minutes after that 911 call. Now, let's listen to Carly Russell in her own words. The detail I was mentioning earlier in our cut 13. 911, where's your emergency? Hi, I am on Interstate 459, and there is a kid just walking by their self.

Oh, hold on, hold on, where on 459 are you? Um, I'm right next to the exit 10 by the Hoover Met, like to get off by the Hoover Met. Okay, so you're before that exit? Yes. Okay, and were you headed southbound or northbound? Like toward Tuscaloosa or toward 280? Toward Tuscaloosa. Okay, and was the child on the left or right side?

On the right side. Were they walking northbound or southbound? They're walking towards Tuscaloosa. Walking southbound? Did you hear that detail? Oh, there's more. Listen to cut 14. How old did they look?

Like a toddler. Like maybe like three or four. Did you pull over with them are you still with them yes okay you're are you with the child right now no i'm not i didn't get out of the car i'm just i can see them though can you do you mind staying and keeping an eye on them until we get there yeah yeah sure yeah okay what kind of car are you in i'm in a red mercedesz. Is that a sedan or SUV? SUV. I mean, it's a sedan.

Sorry. Can you put your hazards on for me? Yeah, they're on. Okay. Did you talk to the child at all or did you say anything to them? No. Okay. No. Do they look like they're injured?

No, they don't. I love listening to this 911 call because I know every word she says is a big, fat lie. And can you imagine her in her red Mercedes at night conjuring up this lie in its intricate detail? Listen to more. Cut 15. Are they white, black, Hispanic, or Asian? They're white. Okay.

Is it male or female? I think it's a boy, a little boy. White male? Okay. Is he wearing clothes? Yes. Okay. What is he wearing? It's a

white t-shirt and it doesn't look like he has any pants on. It looks like a diaper. You don't see any cars anywhere? No, no cars anywhere. Okay. All right. What's your name? My name is Carly Russell. And you don't see any injuries on the child from where you're at, correct? No, no, but I can't really see them that good. Okay. Try to keep an eye on them for for the best we can because i don't want you to lose track of them and do they have shoes on no not that i can see i can't really see that one all right i've got them on the way okay just try to stay keep an eye on them but officers are on the way okay okay thanks man she's such a good samaritan a good samaritan that cost the taxpayers, that's us, about $500,000 and cost well-wishers and those who want to help nearly $70,000 in donations. With me, an all-star panel, but can I first go to Cheryl McCollum, founder and director of the Cold Case Research Institute, star of Zone 7, a hit new podcast.

And you can find her at coldcasecrimes.org. Cheryl, really? He's wearing nothing but a diaper. And I can't tell if he has on any shoes. And he's a white male, about three or four years old. And I'm so worried. I'm so worried that I'm not getting out of my car, of course, but I am worried. And I'm going to follow him for 600 yards in my car, that six football fields as I track. Boy, that little tot should be in the Olympics if it can go that fast in nothing but a diaper and barefoot. I mean, the story reeked on day one. That's why I didn't cover it exactly on day one, because it was a lie. It was obviously a lie. It was obviously a lie. And we have actual people that are really missing being raped, being sex trafficked, being killed.

And here's this girl making up a whole big deal because what? I just want somebody to love me? Really? Get online, woman. There are millions of people out there that will love you. But why do this? What about this statement on 911? You make excellent points. But let's talk for a second about what we don't hear her say.

We don't hear her say, please hurry. We don't hear her say, help. We don't hear her say, I'm going to go out and try to save him so that he doesn't get into the expressway. She's just in her car chilling and she's only answering questions. She didn't offer the description. She didn't offer that he wasn't hurt. She didn't offer. She was asked those things. The only truthful statement she says in the whole thing is when she says, yeah, I can't really see. That's the truth. Yeah. Well, now we're just trying to figure out what really happened during those days. And I've got a pretty good idea that she was holed up in something akin to a red roof inn. And I'll tell you why.

Guys, take a listen to Hour Cut 16. 754, unclassified complaint, 1466 Montgomery Highway at the red roof inn. The front office, her caller, family members at this location saying they received a call from the female that's Inn, the front office. Her caller, family members at this location, saying they received a call from the female that's missing, Carly Russell. 7-54, family members are saying they received a call from the female saying she was at this location. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. crime stories with nancy grace she's right up there with jesse smollett jennifer will banks and remember supermom sherry pepini they all need to be in the same pot to stew causing police, sheriffs, volunteers to veer away from real crimes, translation

real crime victims, costing thousands of dollars of man hours, much less worry, concern. I could have done a program on a real crime victim instead of trying to find Carly Russell. But no, I tried to find her. Although her story stunk to high heaven at the get-go, just like Sherry Pepini's, just like Jennifer Wilbanks, just like Jussie Smollett, did they think we just fell off the turnip truck? No, we did not. What happened in the case? Savannah Sapp, multimedia journalist, reporter, WAFF48 in Bama. You can find her on Twitter at Savannah Sapp, S-A-P-P. Savannah, what in the hay?

If this girl is snugged up in a king-size bed with A.C. on low, ordering room service and watching pay-per-view while everyone is tearing their hair out trying to find her, I'm going to do a backflip. A backflip, Savannahflip savannah sapp what do we know it's it's honestly uh confusing to say the least um you know her statement that was written to an attorney and given to police through the attorney claims that she was not at a hotel but you have all of these people who are commenting against that and you have screenshots of you know family members and friends of hers texting each other saying yes she was absolutely at a red roof in um you know it's again it's confusing to say the least and if she was holed up at a red roof in while you, hundreds of thousands of people are wondering where she is, if she's even alive. I think that says a lot about the testament of her character.

Well, of course, you can't go to jail for telling a lie unless you're under oath. And I was just pointing out this morning, about 30 minutes ago, correct me if I'm wrong, Shellnut, with me, James Shellnut, high profile lawyer out of this jurisdiction in Alabama with the Shellnut law firm. But listen to this, 27 years, Metro major case as a cop, including SWAT. That's not easy. Former prosecutor, he actually prosecuted false report cases you know what I had so many felonies coming on my ears I didn't even bother with the lies and the false report Shelnut but I'm glad to know that I've got an expert that did do it you know what that reminds me of Shelnut DUI cases I never

handled straight out DUI cases by the the time I got them, somebody was dead. It was a habitual violator where you have five or more DUIs. There had been a vehicular homicide. That's when I would get a DUI. I wouldn't get a flat out, plain old misdemeanor DUI. And you know what? There's an art to proving a DUI. You've got to know all the ins and outs of blood alcohol, the rights, whether you take a breathalyzer or don't take a breathalyzer. I mean, it's actually very complicated to get all those hoops and defendants can win if the prosecutor doesn't know all the ins and outs of prosecuting a DUI. Same thing with a false report. Isn't it true, Shelnut, that at the bottom of every police report, there are words to the effect, I swear and attest, under penalty of perjury, that all the information that I have given is true?

Isn't that at the bottom of every police report form? Oh, it absolutely is. And it's because you are about to alert law enforcement to a situation that you know that they are going to spend time and resources investigating. And it gives you an opportunity to think twice about what you just said. It's perjury. Perjury is a crime. Now, I want to point out that Carly Russell is being handled with kid gloves. Other people in her situation have gone to jail for this. Think about Jussie Smollett, Sherry Papini, Jennifer Wilbanks, a so-called runaway bride,

Chloe Stein. But, you know, another thing when it comes to those cases, those people always had a culprit. Carly Russell has a white guy with orange hair and a bald spot and a woman she never saw and a baby crying in the background that fed her cheese it's and played with her hair. The woman said that she said about the woman. That's part of her story. Smollett blamed, didn't he say white guys wearing MAGA hats? Okay. When it turned out to be the two Osindoro brothers, his friends, let's see, Sherry Papini blamed two unidentified Hispanic women. And she proceeded to starve and brand herself and beat herself up and snug up with her boyfriend for I forgot how many weeks and showed up much like Carly Russell on foot on Thanksgiving Day. Let's see.

Where am I? They're smiling. Will Banks, Jennifer Will Banks, the runaway bride. She blamed, I guess, basically a group of Hispanic males that kidnapped her, assaulted her on the eve of her wedding. And then we've got Chloe Stein. She didn't want her family to know she wasn't going to graduate from college. So she faked an abduction. Who did she blame, Sidney?

You got to blame somebody, the evil person that is responsible for your dilemma. And in this case, Carly Russell is blaming, again, a white guy with orange hair. So let me understand this. To Mike Hadsall joining us, president and founder of Peace River Canine Search and Rescue at PRSAR.org. How much money would a search like this first describe the search? Because they really pulled out all the stops. What all was done to find Carly Mike Hadsall?

They're going to pull every resource they can get on the resource list in the area into that search they can get, because this is a high probability search. Meaning, when you have an abduction or you have a predatory abduction and that person is missing or there's a child involved, the survivability rate of the victim is less than six hours. So we have a time clock where we're trying to get to the victim before the perpetrator either traffics them out of the area or kills them. And so all hands are on deck at this point. Everybody's coming in. So minimum cost on this is going to start at a half a million dollars and go up

because of all the resources that are there. When I was watching the video on TV, I saw this line of law enforcement vehicles that just went on and on and on. And you've got helicopters overhead. You've got people coming in on overtime. They're calling everybody in that's off, and they're pounding the ground. They're going to all the hotels in the area, all the stores in the area. They're canvassing the entire area.

That takes law enforcement personnel, and everybody's there. Everybody's out. And so it's very, very expensive for these types of searches. Guys, we're talking about Carly Russell, who, as it turns out, is a pretty good liar. Karen Stark joining me, renowned psychologist out of Manhattan, trauma and crimes expert. You can find her at karenstark.com. That's Karen with a C.

Karen, thank you for being with us. You know, many people are saying, oh, we should feel sorry for her. I do. That she would have to go to this length to try to get attention. And if she is having some sort of dilemma or depression or sadness, that is not a legal defense. And I want to point out to you, Karen Stark, before you answer, she may be crazy like a fox because she outwitted everybody, her family, her boyfriend that stuck by her, police, searchers, people that donated nearly 70 grand to help find her. So I wouldn't call that crazy, Karen Stark. Well, it's not legally crazy like you said, Nancy, because she does know the difference between right and wrong.

That seems really clear to me because she was able to plot everything out, you know, come up with this elaborate story, then show up. I mean, she really, when you listen to her, though, you can see that there's something wrong she does have some kind of psychopathology because she's making this elaborate story up and it's really so rich in detail she's a victim and the thing about being a victim i mean when you look at her text from before and the things that she said they they were inconsistent. They were really very self-pitying. And here she is now coming up with a story where everyone is going to look first for a baby and then for her. So there is pathology there. But does she know the difference between right and wrong? Should we hold her responsible? That part, I think, legally, yes, absolutely.

The Alabama kidnap faker, Carly Russell, skates out of court with straight probation and $18,000 of restitution. And she admits she made up the whole thing. But hey, I don't want to go to jail. I think we've heard that before. She first pled not guilty to false reporting. A municipal judge ruled against her and recommended she pay 18 grand and spend a year in jail.

What happened to that? Her legal team then appealed the conviction, hoping to avoid jail time, and they succeeded. Just ahead of a scheduled state trial, she pleads guilty to all charges, and she gets 12 years of probation, community service, and evidence of ongoing mental health counseling. She has to pay 18 grand to the city of Hoover. I think that she could have had counseling behind bars. I mean, do you remember what happened? Russell called 911 claiming she saw a little boy walking on the side of I-459 in a diaper. It was a toddler, three, four-year-old wearing a white t-shirt and a diaper. According to police, Carly then called a relative to tell them she was going to get out and check on the baby. The relative says she heard Carly scream

and then nothing but sounds from the interstate. So I want you to take into account the level of detail in her 911 call. But also, she said the same lie to her own family. Let's cut three. Fox 10. Just be advised, her vehicle is unlocked, running. All her personal belongings you can set for her phone. When police got there, Carly was gone. Her Mercedes still running. Friends, family, and strangers on the internet did their part to find her.

And then, perhaps a clue Saturday night. Montgomery Highway at the Red Roots Inn. Family members at this location saying they received a call from the female that's missing, Carly Russell. Family members say they showed up to knock on doors and find her, but she wasn't there. Police have used every synonym for a lie. They're saying things like, we can't corroborate, we can't confirm, no evidence of, so forth and volunteers on a wild goose chase to the tune of at least a quarter of a million dollars while we think she was shacked up somewhere enjoying the attention vicariously that she was receiving. With me again, an all-star panel to make sense of what we know

right now. With me, Lee Reber, mobile device forensic expert, CEO of Oxygen Forensics, Inc., and author of Mobile Forensics Investigations, also host a podcast, Forensic Happy Hour. Lee, I believe, since her cell phone was left behind, she may have had another phone. So how do we go about tracking what she was doing in order to make a case of perjury? Well, you know, what it always comes down to, right, is your digital life. If you look at all the cases where it turns out that they have been lying, it comes down to, you know, law enforcement just looking at that digital life. And the interesting thing about this is in Hoover, Alabama, is NCFI, which is the National Computer Forensic Institute, one of the best places to go to learn how to collect digital data. So it's probably the wrong place if you're going to be lying over your social media,

if you're going to be utilizing your your social media if you're going to be utilizing your phone or if you have another phone because quite honestly they're going to be able to review your digital life they're going to find and locate you if you're using another device if you're just in the area so again trying to utilize social media even prior to this. They had that timeline. Once they had that timeline, I'm sure that they, as soon as that came out, they had the information that she was not telling the truth. Not telling the truth. I guess that's one way of putting it.

Guys, it's happened many times before. Take a listen to our friends at WVTM and Cut59B Brother. Eric Guster says he worries this case could affect future missing persons cases. It's going to be much more difficult for African-American women to be believed. And it may actually decrease the number of actual reports of things because people are already afraid that they won't be believed. Guster says the police chief outlined three crimes that they believe Carly has committed. That's theft, lying to authorities and filing a false police report. We all remember the case of Jesse Smollett.

Take a listen to this. Police body camera video shows the moment officers first arrived at Jussie Smollett's apartment after the actor claimed he'd been attacked. Smollett still has what appears to be a noose around his neck. Do you want to take it off or anything? Yeah, I do. I just want to talk to you. Smollett told police he was assaulted by two masked men yelling racist and homophobic slurs.

Please call me. Please call me. For more than three weeks, at least 24 detectives searched for the two men and investigated Smollett's claims. Guys, we're talking about Jussie Smollett. He ended up paying about $120,000 of restitution. He got 150 days behind bars for filing a false report. To Cheryl McCollum, what exactly went into the search for Carly Russell? They had air, helicopter, land. They had people on foot. They had canines. They had, you know, her cell phone being looked at. They were interviewing

family, friends, and co-workers. They pulled everybody off, you know, having days off. This was a full court press. Every available person, including citizens that came to volunteer nancy she had the fbi the secret service hoover police alabama state police she had you and crime online she had the today show think of the resources that were given to her and every homicide true missing person child molestation, aggravated assault, domestic violence. They were all put on hold to search for her because they believed time was of the essence. But I want to say something very clearly. She didn't fool everybody because you and I were talking Saturday and Sunday. We knew it was bogus. On day one, because it didn't add up.

I mean, the story didn't make any sense. How many times did you and I look at that video, scouring it, blowing it up, playing it in slow-mo? There was no boy walking along the side of the interstate. That was all a big lie. And let me tell you what Jussie Smollett got. Take a listen to our Cut 44 from the Today Show. Judge James Lynn sentencing Smollett to 30 months felony probation, including that jail time. Ordering he pay more than $120,000 in restitution to the city of Chicago and pay the maximum fine, $25,000. You've turned your life upside down by your misconduct and shenanigans. You've destroyed your life upside down by your misconduct and shenanigans. You've destroyed your life as you knew it.

As a defiant, Smollett was taken into custody last night, his family blasting the judge's decision. He's the reason why folks aren't going to report hate crimes. They're the reason why folks aren't going to report hate crimes. No, Smollett, you're the problem, not everybody else. And the same thing here. People giving time, energy, blood, sweat, and tears to find Carly Russell when she's obviously propped up somewhere having takeout, watching the news about her own disappearance. And then, of course, there's Jennifer Wilbanks, the so-called runaway bride.

Now, this wedding was a big shindig in high society Atlanta. I mean, a lot of money, tens of thousands of dollars shelled out for a big wedding. And poof, the bride disappears. She gets, quote, kidnapped. Take a listen to our cut 47, her 911 call. was there under it? What color was his van? Blue jean. And what kind of vehicle was he driving? It was a blue van, like a work van. Was it a conversion van or a small minivan? It wasn't a minivan. It was like a painter work van. What direction did they leave in? I have no idea. I don't even know where I am. Dear Lord in heaven, Shelnut, do you hear that? It sounds like Carly Russell

and her elaborate lie about this little barefoot boy wearing a diaper that she's trying desperately to save yet not getting out of her car. Did you hear that? Hispanic males, short hair, no facial hair, a maroon jacket, blue jeans, a blue van, but no, not a conversion or minivan. It was a paint work van. I mean, this woman had so many details. I mean, was she just running this like a movie in her head? Yeah, I don't know. You know, when you start looking at the stories that people tell about what happened to them, one of the things that you focus on is their ability to recall selective details, details that benefit them, but they don't recall details that may put a hole in their story

or that may bring things into question. And that's exactly what you have here. That's what you have in Carly Russell's case. And, you know, that's a major tip-off for investigators. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. She says, I want to genuinely apologize for my actions and the resulting negative impact inflicted onto others. I made a grave mistake while trying to fight through various

emotional issues and stress. I'm extremely remorseful, blah, blah, blah, for the panic, blah, blah, blah, experienced across the nation. But I don't want to go to jail. Okay, I added that last part. Russell's lawyer said following the sentencing, we want to thank Judge Carpenter, blah, blah, blah. Carly apologized. Really? All criminals will apologize to avoid jail. The queen of fake disappearances, Sherry Papini. Take a listen to our friend Matt Gutman in our cut 38 from GMA. In November of 2016, Sherry Papini vanished for 22 days.

Then on Thanksgiving morning, she materialized on a highway nearly 150 miles from home. A trucker stopping and calling 911 for her. That call heard for the first time this morning. Hey, what's hurting? You're chained up. you're chained up she's chained up yes she said she was chained up beaten branded like you see on tv branding cattle and it turns out she was holed up with her boyfriend the whole time and actually tortured herself. Hard to believe, but it happened. Karen Stark, that was a lot to swallow, that she would brand herself, break her own tooth, beat herself.

But she did, and she admitted to it. Nancy, think about the amount of attention she was able to get and how exciting that must have been with her for her. I mean, here she is. She's with her boyfriend and able to get everybody hysterical about what happened to her. And that's narcissism to the highest degree that you could think of. Whoa, slow down. Narcissism.

Explain. Well, I mean, that's somebody who is so involved with themselves, so much above the law that they could go to that kind of extent to make sure that people see them as a victim and worry about them. And that's attention to speed on what's going on. It makes them really feel loved and wanted. Savannah Sapp joining us from WAFF 48 Alabama. And I understand sympathy or empathy for her, wondering what drove her to do this. But the reality is,

is regardless of her depression or sadness or desire for attention, whatever it may be, she lied in a police report, lied to detectives, and obstructed justice. Just very quickly, I want to kind of parrot what Cheryl said earlier. You know, she not only took a lot of time from investigators, but you also have to look at it from a media standpoint. We had all hands on deck sharing Carly's story from all over the state. The whole state of Alabama was sharing her story as well as national headlines. So not that, you know,

she would be responsible for our coverage, but that's just something else to think of when you're talking about all of the resources that were. I mean, the moment I heard the story, heard about her disappearance, we immediately put it as the lead at CrimeOnline.com and put it out on social media over and over and over to get attention and get the tip line out there for people to help find Carly. We contacted people in Alabama involved in the search to try to find out what was happening and how we could help. All the while, Cheryl McCollum, there are real victims of real crimes that need our help. I'm not as worried about the media, but I'm more worried about people. I remember working long nights, weekends on Easter, on Thanksgiving, on my so-called vacation with my family, working cases, working, working, working.

If I found out later that the victim was lying, I would be so deflated. Nancy, again, the resources that she took from actual victims is astonishing. But I tell you what they need to be concerned about. Who's next? If you do not send a message that we are not going to put up with hoaxes and lies and outright premeditated crime, then what are we doing in the DA's office? You know, I just want people to understand what a search like this entails. Mud, rain, dirt, long hours, 24-7, looking, worried, dealing with the victim's family who are all distraught. I mean, can you imagine if you thought your child was missing? Mike Hadsall, you've been through it all.

Mike Hadsall, president and founder of Peace River Canine Search and Rescue. Explain the blood, sweat, and tears that goes into a search like this. There's a lot of resources that go into having to keep the people up. You can get a searcher out there that can work for an hour, maybe an hour and a half if you're lucky, but then they're down for two hours because they got to cool off and get ready. Same thing with the dogs. You can get them for 20 minutes. And then the dog has to rest for 50 minutes because he's got to cool down before he can go back out. So there's a lot of injuries involved here, snakes and vines and, you know, all kinds of stuff that goes on. And especially for volunteers because, you know, we volunteer.

We go out. We help law enforcement on these searches. But we have to cover our own expenses and we have to cover our own health insurance. So if we get injured, it's on us. Then there is Chloe Stein, and I bring her up because she's about the same age as Carly Russell. She faked her own abduction. Who did she blame? A fake cop.

I guess she was running out of people to blame. I want you to take a listen to our cut 37, our friends from WTAE regarding Chloe Stein. State police say she created an entire scenario to make people think she had been abducted by someone posing as a police officer on her way home from work Monday night. That set off a massive search effort yesterday afternoon. Police estimated the entire ordeal costing thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars. Stein was found not far from her home yesterday evening. Police say at first she told them she was abducted, held at gunpoint, and then released. Eventually, court documents say Klein

admitted to never being in danger and making the whole thing up. You know, to you, Lee Reber, what's the best way of finding out where Carly Russell was during those 49 hours? You know, I think the important thing, if you look at the Petini case, they got a lot of the leads from call records, right? They found out that she was calling some friends or some boyfriends. And I think in this case, too, it might come down to that. I'm sure that they're still going over phone records. We have this whole Red Roof Inn. Who did she call? You know, did she call someone? Was there I think there's still going to be some investigation into that. And I believe, you know,

I would think that they're going to bring someone else in that had knowledge of her disappearance. Well, another kidnapped faker has escaped jail. Her name will live in infamy right beside Jussie Smollett, Sherry Papini, Jennifer Wilbanks, the runaway bride who tried to blame a hispanic team trying to steal her long story short she's a faker and she caused law enforcement

a lot of grief headache man hours into the night trying to find her. God willing, she does get rehabbed and never ever tells another lie, much less one that costs $18,000. Nancy Grace signing off. Goodbye, friend. This is an iHeart Podcast.