Woman accused of falsely reporting she was abducted after seeing child on road seeks to avoid jail

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama woman accused of falsely telling police she was abducted after stopping to check on a toddler wandering along a highway is appealing her municipal court conviction. Her lawyer said she is seeking to avoid a yearlong jail sentence sought by prosecutors. A municipal judge found 26-year-old Carlee Russell guilty Wednesday of misdemeanor charges of false reporting to law enforcement and falsely reporting an incident. Russell’s attorneys then agreed to a legal step that sends the case to circuit court where proceedings start anew. Russell’s called 911 on July 13 reporting she was abducted after stopping her car to check on a child. Police later called that a hoax.