Hoover police had said in a July 14 statement that officers dispatched in response to Russell’s 911 call found her vehicle and some of her belongings nearby, “but were unable to find her or a child in the area.” They also said they have not received any calls about a missing child.
At the July 19 press conference, Derzis also said data from Russell’s phone showed that in the days and hours before she was reported missing, she researched topics such as the movie Taken and the query, “Do you have to pay for an Amber Alert?”
Additionally, he shared that she traveled 600 yards—or six football fields—on the interstate while on the phone with the 911 operator.
“I’m not saying it couldn’t happen,” the police chief clarified. “To think that a toddler, barefoot, that could be 3 or 4 years old, he’s going to travel six football fields without getting in the roadway, without crying… It’s just very hard for me to understand.”
Police said they were not given permission for a second interview with Russell and still hope to speak with her.
