Carlee Russell is set to appear in court today after faking her own abduction last year in a 49-hour disappearance that garnered attention nationwide.

Russell, 26, is set to appear before Jefferson County Bessemer Cutoff Judge David Carpenter Thursday afternoon.

Russell pleaded not guilty on Oct. 11, 2023, in municipal court to charges of false reporting to law enforcement authorities and falsely reporting an incident.

Despite her plea, Hoover Municipal Judge Brad Bishop found her guilty based on the recommendation of state prosecutors.

Bishop recommended one year in jail and $17,874 in restitution. He also recommended two fines of $831 each.

In municipal court, there is no jury trial. The constitution allows anyone who faces jail time to have their case heard and decided by a jury of their peers.

Often defendants will appeal a verdict to Jefferson County Circuit Court to take the case to a jury trial.

Her attorney, Emory Anthony, said following last year’s municipal hearing they would appeal the verdict because state prosecutors want Russell to serve jail time. Anthony said Russell’s legal team completely disagrees with jail time for a Class A misdemeanor, especially when it’s Russell’s first offense.

What led to today’s hearing

As a result of the hoax abduction, Alabama lawmakers are seeking to toughen the consequences for making a false abduction claim.

A bill before the legislature would make faking an abduction a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Russell seemingly vanished July 13 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.”

Russell’s parents, Talitha and Carlos Russell, made an appearance on the Today show two days after Russell returned home, maintaining that she had been abducted.

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.

About 10 days later, Russell has admitted through a statement from her attorney to Hoover police that she was not abducted.

This is the statement sent by Anthony:

“My client has given me permission to make the following statement on her behalf: There was no kidnapping on July 13, 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,” the statement Anthony provided read.

“My client was not with anyone or with anyone at any hotel during the time she was missing,’’ Anthony said.

“My client apologizes for her actions to the community, the volunteers who were searching for her, to the Hoover Police Department and other agencies, as well as to her friends and family,’’ the attorney said in the statement.

Anthony has not said where Russell spent the 48-plus hours she was gone.

Anthony told AL.com that Russell told him she was not at the Red Roof Inn, which has been widely reported on social media.

Derzis said previously said he does not know why Russell fabricated the disappearance.

“I wish I could tell you,’’ he said. “I think only Carlee knows, and maybe her attorney knows now.”

“The sad thing is there were so many people involved and took this thing very, very seriously and, again, we wanted the focus to be to bring her home and she got home. We’re very excited about that,” Derzis said.

“It is what it is,’’ he said. “We know that it was a hoax.”

“We still don’t know what happened during those 49 hours,” Derzis said, “where she was, did she have any help.’’

This article will be updated with the result of the hearing.