Carlee Russell was released from UAB Hospital Sunday morning after returning to her parents’ Hoover home Saturday night.

Police say they will try to piece together what happened in the two days that she was missing.

It won’t be a quick process, Hoover police said, and the important thing is that Russell is home and safe.

“We deal in facts,’’ Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis said Sunday. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s our obligation as police to put it all together.”

“The goal now is to find out what happened in the 48 or 49 hours after she disappeared a mile from her house and then ended up back at the house, to fill in the gaps,’’ he said.

“We don’t have to move quickly,’’ the chief said. “Our priority was to get her home and she’s home. We’ll investigate and do what we have to do.”

Russell’s mother, Talitha Robinson, released a statement on Facebook early Sunday afternoon, but it did not shed light on what happened during Russell’s disappearance.

“God is faithful and He has answered our prayers We are so grateful to each of you for all the acts of kindness, generosity, and compassion you have shown Our baby is safe!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Father God,” the statement read.

Robinson asked that people respect their privacy “to allow us to just love on our daughter and each other with our close family and friends. Also, please consider the fact we have not slept for 3 nights and we are mentally and physically exhausted.”

Robinson said they will give a statement to reporters and thanked those who aided in the search.

“Just as we made a commitment to not entertain negative thoughts during the time our daughter was missing, we surely will not entertain negative thoughts/statements, unvalidated opinions, or sheer ignorance at such a joyous time,” the statement continued.

The 25-year-old nursing student returned alone to the home where she lives with her parents shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday.

Derzis said he doesn’t yet know how Russell got back to the Hoover subdivision, but that she walked up to the house and knocked on her parents’ door.

Police and fire medics quickly responded. Russell, who was said to be having difficulty breathing, was taken to UAB Hospital where she was held overnight for an evaluation, and then discharged early Sunday.

Friends and family members remained outside UAB’s emergency room early until Sunday morning.

Investigators spoke briefly with Russell Saturday night but have not yet done any kind of in-depth interview with her.

“We’re respecting the privacy of Carlee and her family. Our main goal has been achieved and that is getting her home safe,’’ Derzis said.

“Our investigation now goes to the time on Thursday night when she called 911 and she’s gone to the point of her getting home last night,” the chief added.

“We’re going to find out exactly what took place,’’ Derzis said.

Earlier Saturday evening, police were dispatched to the Red Roof Inn on Montgomery Highway in Vestavia Hills.

According to police radio communications, family members of Russell showed up at the motel claiming they had received a call from her that she was there.

It did not immediately appear that Russell was found at that time.

The ordeal began Thursday when family members said Russell left The Woodhouse Spa at the Summit where she worked part time.

She then stopped by Taziki’s at the Colonnade at 9 p.m. to pick up food for herself and her mother.

Hoover 911 at 9:34 p.m. received a call from Russell, said Lt. Daniel Lowe.

Russell told the dispatcher that she was near mile marker 11 when she said she saw a toddler walking alone on the side of I-459 between the flyover to the Galleria and Highway 150.

After calling 911, Russell stopped to check on the child and called a family member, Lowe said. The family member lost contact with her, but the line remained open.

Officers located Russell’s Mercedes, still running but vacant. Some of her belongings were nearby. Police were unable to find her or a child in the area.

Hoover police had not received any other calls of someone missing a small child.

At 9:36 p.m., her mother, Talitha Russell, said her daughter was on the phone with her brother’s girlfriend. Carlee pulled over after saying she saw a child that appeared to be 3 or 4 years old.

“She probably let her guard down thinking 911 would be there in a second‚” Talitha Russell said.

“My son’s girlfriend heard her asking the child, ‘Are you OK? She never heard the child say anything but then she heard our daughter scream,’’ Talitha Russell said. “All you hear on her phone is background noise from the interstate.”

“Her car door was open,” Talitha said. “They found her phone on the ground, along with her wig and her hat…Her purse was still in the car. Her Apple watch was in her purse and her Air Pods as well.”

Talitha Russell said a tip was called in from a trucker.

“He saw a gray car with a tall brown skinned man with khaki shorts on leaning over in the car,’’ Talitha Russell said.

“The police did find some tire tracks in the grass,’’ she said. “They said because it was not a muddy area, they were not able to determine what type of vehicle it could have been.”

For the next two days, police and teams of volunteer searchers followed leads and scoured the area of where Russell’s car was found.

Nearly $60,000 was offered to Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama as a reward for Russell’s safe return.