Photo:Thomar Latrell Simmons/Instagram
Thomar Latrell Simmons/Instagram
Carlee Russell’s boyfriend is pleading with people to not bully her amid speculation about her abduction claims.
Thomar Latrell Simmonsis dating Russell, who mysteriously vanished for 49 hours last week, and spoke withThe New York Poston Saturday about suspicions tied to her disappearance.
“The only thing I can say is, I want everyone to stop bullying her. I know what it seems like what she did. Just stop bullying on social media,” Simmons told the outlet.
“Think about her mental health. She doesn’t deserve that," he added. “She doesn’t. Nobody deserves to be cyberbullied.”
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HOOVER (AL) POLICE DEPARTMENT
Earlier this month, Russell, 25, called 911, saying she saw a toddler walking alone alongside I-495 on her way home from work. She told the dispatcher she was going to check on the child. Then, she called her brother’s girlfriend before suddenly vanishing.
Two nights later, after a statewide search that involved local, state and federal investigators, Russell reappeared at the doorstep of her parents’ house, where she lives.
As well as being unable to confirm details from her initial 911 call, investigators said Russell has declined to speak with them further.
“There are many questions left to be answered,” Hoover police chief Nick Derzis said at a previous press conference. “Only Carlee can provide those answers.”
Subsequently, investigators began retracing Russell’s steps through security footage and cellphone data. Investigators also began looking into Russell’s internet activity, discovering a handful of searches Derzis says are “very relevant” to her disappearance.On the day of and in the days leading up to her disappearance, Russell researched Amber Alerts and how to steal money from a cash register, as well as looking into purchasing a one-way bus ticket scheduled to depart the day she went missing and the movieTaken, which is about a kidnapping, police allege.
“I do think it’s highly unusual that the day someone gets kidnapped, seven or eight hours before that they were searching the movie Taken about an abduction,” Derzis said. “I find that very strange.”
Cellphone data also showed Russell traveled about 600 yards while on the phone with 911, telling a dispatcher that she was following the toddler she claimed she saw as he walked along the highway.
“I’m not saying it couldn’t happen,” Derzis said. “To think that a toddler, barefoot, that could be 3 or 4 years old could travel six football fields without getting in the roadway, without crying, without anything, just moving down — it’s very hard for me to understand.”
As well as speaking out this weekend, in a since-deleted July 16 post on Instagram, Simmonscelebrated his girlfriend’s arrivalhome.
“I don’t even know how to start off this post but to only say thank you to my lord & savior Jesus Christ for saving my girlfriend’s life!” Simmons began hispost, which included a series of pictures and clips of him and Russell together.
He then thanked everyone who had helped search for his girlfriend and shared photos on social media, adding, “I have been going nonstop since I received the call that she was missing on Thursday night. I know she would’ve done the same for me, so I wasn’t going to give up until I saw her face again!”
“I was straight tunnel vision, even when I would get on social media on my downtime & see some of the false allegations & assumptions about me having something to do with her abduction would have me discouraged at times, but I didn’t give up & kept my faith!” Simmons said.
He went on to ask people to “be respectful of Carlee’s situation,” stating: “She was literally fighting for her life for 48 hours, so until she’s physically & mentally stable again she is not able to give any updates or whereabouts on her kidnapper at this very moment."
“I also want to thank the people on social media who [have] been understanding & respectful about what she’s been through in these past few days. Once again I can’t thank you guys enough for helping us bring Carlee home! God bless you all ❤️🙏🏾 #carleefound #carleerussell,” Simmons concluded.
source: people.com
