Carlee Russell doesn’t owe us anything

OPINION: We should be thankful Carlee Russell returned home to her family alive. That’s it. 

Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

I first heard about Carlethia “Carlee” Russell via a TikTok video posted by the “Black Girl Gone Podcast” on Friday, the day after she disappeared. The details of her story horrified me, and I hoped for her safe return. 

 The details surrounding her disappearance were disturbing. She was on her way home from work after having stopped to pick up food for herself and her mother when she reportedly saw a toddler walking along the interstate. 

Police say she called 911 to report what she saw, and then she called a family member and told her as well. According to the family member, Carlee said she was going to get out of her car to check on the child. The family member said she heard Carlee ask the child if they were OK, did not hear a response and then heard Carlee scream. 

After that, all that could be heard on the call were the sounds of the passing traffic on the busy highway. 

According to her mom, police arrived shortly thereafter and found Carlee’s car with the engine still running. Her purse was still inside the car. Her wig and her cell phone were found near the car, but there was no sign of Carlee. 

Video images from highway cameras that were released by authorities left the public with even more questions.

Everyone wanted to know what happened to Carlee. Was she kidnapped? Had someone used a small child to lure her? Would she be found? 

Forty-eight hours later, on Saturday, July 15, Carlee returned to her family’s home late at night. According to her parents, Carlee “was not in a good state,” so they immediately called the authorities, and she was transported to the hospital where she was examined and released. 

Carlee’s boyfriend posted a statement on Facebook Sunday, thanking the public for their prayers and support and thanking those who had helped with the search efforts to find Carlee. 

 He said Carlee had spent the last 48 hours “fighting for her life,” and she needed time to recover. 

The comment section of that post is indicative of the widespread response across social media ever since news of her safe return home went public. 

Similarly, after her parents appeared on “Today” Tuesday morning, people were all up in arms about why neither they nor Carlee was telling us everything that happened from the moment she disappeared to the moment she returned home.

The same people who were seemingly so concerned about her safety and well-being are now ravenous for the intimate details of her ordeal. 

“She owes us an explanation” is a common refrain across multiple social media platforms. 

Here is where I inform you that Carlee Russell doesn’t owe anyone anything. She doesn’t have to talk about what happened to the public. The only questions she needs to answer are those from law enforcement investigators working on her case. That’s it, and that’s all. 

The internet and social media specifically have put us in a space where people expect instant gratification at every turn. 

A woman disappears on Thursday night, returns to her family safely on Saturday night, and by Tuesday, everyone is demanding that the police investigation be wrapped up and a full public disclosure be made about what happened in these last four days. 

Except this is not an episode of “Law & Order: SVU.” This is someone’s real life. 

Did you pray for her safe return because you actually wanted her to return safely, or did you post your “prayers” to social media for the likes and clout?

Do you actually care about the safety and well-being of Black women, or is Black suffering more your kink?

In your eyes, would the more “satisfying” ending have been if she would have turned up dead? 

What is it exactly that y’all were looking for at the end of this?

Do you believe that because you prayed for someone to be OK, she now owes you intimate details about something that could possibly leave her traumatized for the rest of her life?

As I type this, people are launching and growing social media platforms discussing Carlee Russell. Her returning so quickly likely put a dent in their plans to milk her disappearance for likes and clout and views. 

It’s a sick sad world come to life, and I hate it here. 

To be clear, I have questions as well. I, too, want to know what happened on that highway Thursday night. I, too, want to understand. 

But I also know that police investigations take time, and when the information is available and verified, it will be given to us by law enforcement. 

Or maybe it won’t. 

Either way, Carlee herself doesn’t owe us anything. 

Period. 

Monique Judge is a storyteller, content creator and writer living in Los Angeles. She is a word nerd who is a fan of the Oxford comma, spends way too much time on Twitter, and has more graphic t-shirts than you. Follow her on Twitter @thejournalista or check her out at moniquejudge.com.

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