Carlee Russell's 'Brother' Speaking Out Over Disappearance Sparks Confusion

A TikTok user who claimed to be Carlethia "Carlee" Russell's brother in a video spreading awareness on her disappearance before she was found on Saturday sparked outrage on the social media platform, with people accusing him of using the case to gain new followers.

Russell, a 25-year-old woman from Hoover, Alabama, returned to her parents' home on Saturday on foot after having disappeared on Thursday night while driving along Interstate 459, according to local police. The woman was on her way back from work when she said she spotted a toddler walking alone on the side of the road and stopped to see if she could help, as mentioned by several media reports.

Russell called 911 to alert police to the child's presence on the road and then called a family member who lost contact with her after hearing her scream, as reported by Al.com. Police were called to the scene and found Russell's empty vehicle with some of her belongings still inside—including her wig, phone, and purse—but there was no trace of the woman or a child.

A 48-hour search for the missing woman ended when she reappeared at her parents' door on Saturday. Russell was then taken to a local hospital by authorities, where she was treated and later released.

But what happened while she was missing is still a mystery that police are trying to solve, and no further information has been shared with the public as the investigation into Russell's disappearance is ongoing.

Newsweek contacted the Hoover Police Department for comment by email on Monday.

Russell's case was widely discussed on news and social media while the woman was missing, with a reward being issued for any information that could lead to her safe return home. As of Saturday night, the reward had reached $58,260.95, per Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama.

One of the people who talked about Russell being missing on social media was the TikTok user who is now being accused of lying about being a family member of the Alabama woman. The man, whose TikTok handle is faithandbishop2, published a video last week saying that his "sister" Carlee Russell was missing.

In the clip, which has since been deleted on the TikTok user's profile but has been shared by others on the platform, an on-screen caption reads "My sister is Missing."

The man refers to Russell several times as his "sister" and talks of the call between the woman and a relative on the night of her disappearance as with "our family member." He offers a recap of the woman's case, containing information reported by news media and the police.

But many on TikTok are now claiming that the man is not Russell's brother. "This man is not her brother," one user wrote, reposting the now deleted video, adding that the man had gained 70,000 followers since claiming he was Russell's brother. Newsweek could not verify the exact number of followers the man had before posting, but as of Monday he had over 100,000.

"Troubled this morning. A video was posted by the "brother" of #CarleeRussell (I posted earlier). Turns out he was not her brother..., While he brought needed attention to the case, why mislead?" wrote retired FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer on Twitter about the incident.

"So disappointing because this account seems to push forward information regarding the missing. There just was no reason to claim to be a family member. Is there anything we can believe anymore? Altered videos, photo-shopped pictures, words that are blatantly false. I am hoping he was using brother like brother in Christ (But I am a glass full person) Anyway, bothersome..."

In a video published on Sunday after Russell's return, the TikTok user does in fact call the woman "our sister in Christ," adding that she's now back "with her family." He then specifies that "we're all brothers and sisters in Christ" and calls Russell "our sister."

Newsweek has contacted the TikTok user known as "faithandbishop2" for comment on the social media platform.