Who is Angela Harris ? Activist who had key role in searching for missing Carlee Russell claims 'things will come out'
ALABAMA, UNITED STATES: Angela Harris, the mother of the late Alabama teenager Aniah Blanchard, was actively involved in the search for Carlee Russell before Russell was found alive. Aniah Blanchard, tragically kidnapped and murdered in 2019, led her mother to spearhead the efforts to locate Russell when she went missing.
Following Russell's reappearance over the weekend, Angela Harris took to TikTok to share an emotional 10-minute video. In her statement, Harris hinted at the possibility of more information coming to light, saying, "Things will come out." The cryptic comment suggests that there may be further details or developments related to Russell's case that are yet to be revealed.
Angela Harris was completely drained after extensive weekend search
Russell, a nurse, went missing near Hoover, Alabama, on July 13 after calling 911 to report a toddler wandering along the freeway at night. After 49 hours, she was found at her parents' house, but her family noted that she was in a distressed state. The family strongly believes she was abducted, but the police have not uncovered any evidence to support foul play.
Harris, who battles an autoimmune disease, felt completely drained after the extensive weekend search. Nevertheless, she expressed immense relief when Russell finally returned home. Overwhelmed with emotions, Harris took to her social media platform to emphasize the importance of staying vigilant in all situations. She repeatedly cautioned her followers about the presence of "predators everywhere" and urged everyone to exercise caution at all times.
Who is Angela Harris?
Angela Harris is no stranger to a desperate search for a loved one. But in her case, her daughter Aniah Blanchard was brutally killed by Ibraheem Yazeed, 32, after being last seen at a gas station in October 2019. Ever since her daughter went missing and was later found dead, she established a nonprofit called Aniah’s Heart. The NGO focused on teaching safety education and situational awareness and self-defense. Harris, along with her team support families with missing loved ones and we have a search and recovery team. Harris, an advocate for self-defense and an ardent activist, has spoken and volunteered on many occasion that demanded similar assistance as that of Russell.
'Put yourself in a mother's shoes'
Harris emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant, regardless of the details that emerged from Russell's story. "I'm not going to address what did happen, what didn't happen," said Harris.
"Put yourself in a mother's shoes. It is a miracle that, two days your child is missing, and then you have your child back," she told her followers.
On Facebook, she expressed gratitude to her supporters and announced her intention to provide further information about the case on July 13. Russell, a nursing student, initially cooperated with the police, disclosing that she was taken by a white man with "orange hair" who emerged from the trees on the side of I-459 after she noticed a "baby boy in a diaper" walking along the road on July 13 around 9:30 pm. Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis stated on July 19 that they were unable to verify Russell's account.
It was also discovered that Russell had researched the Liam Neeson movie 'Taken' and had looked into whether she was too old for an Amber Alert. Additionally, she searched for a one-way bus ticket to Nashville.