Cousins! The abduction story of Carlee Russell remains the topic of discussion both online as well as in her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama as folks continue to debate the now-viral incident!
In an exclusive interview with the New York Post, a series of hairstylists and beauty experts declared how the 25-year-old’s abandoned wig served as a key element to her kidnapping claims.
Salon patron from Helena, Andrea Townsend, said that it is simply uncommon for a Black woman to ever leave her wig behind in a car. “When it happened we were in shock. But once we saw the wig, just to know that wig was left behind— we don’t do that. We don’t do that. People were talking about it.”
She added, “My husband and I were talking about it. He’s a police officer. He immediately thought something doesn’t sound right.”
Based on a furthermore in-depth analysis, Carlee’s wig has been described in detail by experts as being an expensive, front-lace wig that looked like a premium shade of platinum blonde. They explained that the unit is custom fitted and takes approximately 10-15 minutes to remove, as it is actually glued to the scalp in some places. Custom wigs range in cost beginning at $200.
“That was when the majority of Birmingham was like, ‘She’s lying.’ That’s when it was split down the middle where there was those that believed her and those that thought she was lying. It was the wig,” hair stylist Kyra Joyner, 23.
“First of all, your wig is going to be secure. Second, if somebody’s taking you, they’re going to try to cause the least attention they can. If people see a wig on the side of the road— People call the police when they see mannequin heads hanging out the side of our cars,” she explained.
A salon patron from Carlee’s hometown says that the abandoned wig ultimately made them raise their eyebrows with suspicion as she explained that leaving behind her wig is similar to someone taking your underwear.
Fayette nurse Martha Harton told the outlet that all Black women immediately knew Carlee’s story was fabricated due to the abandoned wig.