Carlee Russell, who pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges after her hoax abduction last year, has been ordered to pay $50 monthly toward her $18,000 in restitution.

Russell, now 27, has been making payments on the restitution but in inconsistent amounts.

She has also completed more than her 100 hours of required community service and is continuing to undergo counseling.

Russell appeared before Jefferson County Bessemer Cutoff Circuit Judge David Carpenter Wednesday for a routine review of her case, and the judge set Russell’s payments at $50 a month.

Her attorney, Emory Anthony, said Russell’s employment since her arrest has been sporadic which has led to inconsistency in her restitution payments.

Another review is set for March.

Russell in March pleaded guilty to false reporting to law enforcement authorities and false reporting an incident.

“I made a grave mistake while trying to fight through various emotional issues and stress,” Russell said, crying as she addressed the judge in her plea hearing seven months ago.

“I absolutely regret my decision and in hindsight wish I had cried for help in a totally different manner. My prayer is that I will be extended grace and be given the opportunity to redeem who I truly am and restore the positively esteemed character that I have worked so hard to obtain for the 25 years of my life prior to this incident,” Russell said.

Read full coverage of the case here

Russell was sentenced to six months in county jail. However, those sentences were suspended, and Russell was ordered to pay restitution of nearly $18,000.

The Alabama Attorney General’s Office had argued Russell should be given jail time — even though the charges were misdemeanors — even if just on nights or weekends.

Russell seemingly vanished July 13, 2023, after calling 911, and a family member, to report seeing a child, about 3 or 4 years old only wearing a diaper, walking alone on I-459.

The family member reported hearing a scream, and then only interstate noise through the open cell phone line.

Russell’s disappearance sparked a massive search and widespread concern.

Two days later, Russell showed up alone at her parents Hoover home. She was taken to UAB Hospital for evaluation.

While in the hospital, Russell told Hoover police she escaped the clutches of a man and woman who abducted her.

Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said authorities were able to determine that Russell left her job at Woodhouse Day Spa – from which she was subsequently fired – after taking a robe, toilet paper and a small amount of cash.

She ordered food from Taziki’s at The Colonnade and traveled there. Carlee then traveled to Target on Highway 280 where she bought some granola bars, Cheez-its, and a drink.

From there, she remained in the parking lot of that shopping center until 9:21 P.M. when she drove to I-459.

Russell called 911 at 9:34 p.m., reported seeing the child. After that she called her brother’s girlfriend, and it was during that conversation – about 9:36 p.m. – that she went missing.

Police said no one else ever reported seeing a toddler on the interstate.

Data from Russell’s phone, including her Life360 app, showed she traveled approximately 600 yards in her vehicle while she was on the phone with 911 stating she was following the child.

When police arrived on the scene, they found Russell’s wig, cell phone and purse on the roadway near her vehicle, and her Apple Watch was in her purse.

The food she ordered from Taziki’s was also still in her car. The items she purchased from Target, as well as the items taken from her place of employment, were not in the vehicle nor were they located at the scene.

In her initial interview after her return home, Russell told police she was abducted from the side of I-459.

“She told detectives that while traveling down the interstate, she saw a baby walking down the side of the road and called 911. When she got out of her vehicle to check on the child, a man came out of the trees and mumbled that he was checking on the baby,” Derzis said at an earlier press conference.

“That man then picked her up and she screamed. He then made her go over a fence. He then forced her into a car and the next thing she remembers is being in the trailer of an 18-wheeler. She stated that the male was with a female, however she never saw the female, only hearing her voice. She also told detectives she could hear a baby crying,” Derzis said.

“She told detectives the male had orange hair with a big bald spot on the back. She was able to escape the 18-wheeler and fled on foot, only to be captured again and put into a car. She was then blindfolded but was not tied up because the captors said they did not want to leave impressions on her wrists,” Derzis said.

“She said that they took her into a house and made her get undressed. She believes they took pictures of her, but she does not remember them having any physical or sexual contact with her. She stated that the next day, she woke up and was fed cheese crackers by the female,” according to Derzis.

“She stated the woman also played with her hair, but she could not remember anything else.

“At some point, she was put back in a vehicle that she claims was able to escape from while it was west Hoover area. She told detectives that she ran through lots of woods until she came out near her residence,” the chief said.

“During this interview, detectives noted that Carlee had a small injury to her lip, and she complained of her head hurting. She also had a tear in her shirt. Detectives also noted that she had $107 in cash in her right sock.”

Police were “unable to verify most of Carlee’s initial statement made to investigators,” Derzis said.

Russell never spoke with Hoover investigators again after that initial interview.