Alabama lawmakers held a press conference on Thursday to outline a new bill that would make false abductions a felony offense.
Senator April Weaver of Brierfield introduced the proposed legislation she authored in response to the false abduction of 24-year-old Carlethia Nicole Russell in July of 2023.
Russell, who is from Hoover, admitted to faking her kidnapping, which caused a 3-day search by law enforcement before they learned it was a hoax.
Weaver says her bill includes strong prison sentences and mandatory restitution requirements for the full cost of resources expended by law enforcement agencies during a hoax abduction.
The press conference is set to begin at 2:00pm CST/3:00pm EST.
Senator Weaver will be joined by State Representative Mike Shaw, of Hoover, members of the Hoover Police Department, and representatives from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office.
