Carlee Russell Mystery: $63k in Donations Returned as Questions Are Raised About Her Disappearance After She Returns Home on Foot

People who donated funds to aid in the safe return of Carlethia "Carlee" Nichole Russell are getting their money back now that she is home with her loved ones.

RadarOnline.com has learned a total of $63,378 raised in reward money for information on Russell's whereabouts is being returned after several donations poured into Crime Stoppers of Central Alabama following her sudden disappearance.

The 25-year-old nursing student was presumably abducted on Thursday night, the evening she called 911 and spoke to a family member, saying that she saw a young child walking on the side of Interstate 459 South near Mile Market 11 in Hoover, Alabama, before going missing.

"My daughter-in-law could hear her ask if the child was OK, and the child didn't respond — at least she didn't hear her respond," Carlee's mother, Talitha Russell, said. "Then she heard our daughter Carlee scream."

The family member lost contact with Carlee, but the line remained open. More questions were raised after police found her wig, cell phone, and purse on the road and her Apple Watch in her bag.

As we previously reported, Russell vanished shortly after her red Mercedes was seen stopping on the side of the road in newly released video footage.

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Bob Copus, executive director of Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama, said the biggest donations had already been returned, and the rest are in progress per donor requests.

"We had donations as large as $25,000 and as small as $5," Copus said, AL.com reported. "But every dollar counted because it came from somebody who wanted to see Carlee come home."

Russell's family confirmed she had returned safely on foot Saturday. She was taken by ambulance to UAB Hospital for evaluation and was released Sunday morning.

Her boyfriend, Thomar Latrell Simmons, later shared a statement celebrating her miraculous return, thanking all those who helped in the search and sent well-wishes to her family.

"I was straight tunnel vision, even when I would get on social media in 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!" he wrote amid claims her disappearance was part of an elaborate hoax.

He continued, "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."