Reward being offered to find woman who disappeared after reporting child on Alabama freeway

Authorities are looking for a 25-year-old woman who vanished Thursday night after she called 911 from an Alabama highway in Hoover to report seeing a toddler walking alongside the side of the road.

There is currently a $25,000 reward on the table to find Carlethia "Carlee" Nichole Russell.

In addition to the $5,000 raised by CrimeStoppers, an unnamed source has offered a $20,000 reward, according to CBS affiliate WIAT in Alabama.

According to the Hoover Police Department, just after 9:30pm local time on Thursday, Russell called 911 emergency dispatchers and explained that she had stopped to check on a young child she had seen walking alongside Interstate 459 and needed their assistance.

Russell allegedly called a relative right away after calling 911, according to police. The family member "lost contact" with Russell during that call, but "the line remained open," Hoover Police Lt. Daniel Lowe said at a news conference on Friday.

According to Lowe, the responding officers found Russell's abandoned car and some of her belongings nearby but were unable to find either Russell or the child.

"A single witness has reported possibly seeing gray vehicle with a light-complected male standing outside of Carlee's vehicle, but we have no further information on that individual or the vehicle at this time," Lowe said.

Russell had stopped to pick up food on her way home from work, according to the police.

Carlee's mother, Talitha Russell, told reporters that her daughter's voice broke while she was speaking on the phone with her sister-in-law.

"She's known to be helpful and she has a big heart," Talitha Russell said of Carlee. "And she does know not to stop for anyone, even a child on the side of the road. But she did call 911. And I think she kind of let her guard down thinking they were so close. And when she got out the car, she did tell my daughter-in-law, 'I can't just leave this little child on the side of the road.'"

Authorities from the local, state, and federal levels are conducting a thorough search, according to Lowe.

Additionally, assisting in the search was a sizable contingent of volunteers gathered by Russell's parents.

Russell is described by the police as being between 150 and 160 pounds and standing 5 feet, 4 inches tall. According to WIAT, she was last seen sporting a black shirt, black pants, and white Nike shoes.

There have been no additional calls about missing children, according to Hoover Police, but anyone with information regarding Russell's whereabouts is being asked to call the police department.