We have all heard the folklore of “The boy who cried wolf,” and while the tale is fictional, the lesson we learned represents a timeless reality: Making up stories, claiming a need for immediate help, then once the falsehood is discovered will almost certainly guarantee the help requested will be denied the next time.
As most know, the climax of the story revealed that the one time the little boy was telling the truth about his peril, no one believed him – thus, his actions in the past ultimately caused his demise.
Allow me to introduce you to the woman who cried wolf, Ms. Carlethia “Carlee” Russell.
By now you may have heard her story. I do not want to give her anymore airtime but allow me to bring those who don’t know of this woman up to speed. Russell lied about being abducted while attempting to help a small child wandering on the highway in Birmingham, Alabama. A frantic statewide search for 49 hours commenced for Carlee, seeing that her car and personal items were left behind. Two days later, Carlee Russell approached her parents’ home where her story began to unravel.
Even though Russell did not meet her demise at the hand of a proverbial wolf, her actions are deplorable. Over the weekend of her “disappearance,” the movie “Sound of Freedom” – a very powerful film, yet extremely disturbing, portraying the truths and trials of human and sex trafficking within South America – hit theaters. However, in 2022 alone, approximately 98,000 Black women were reported missing. Nearly 100,000 went missing and hardly any news reports – let alone national media coverage – or movies were produced to highlight this unsettling reality.
On October 19th, 2022, a 22-year-old Black woman, who was allegedly abducted and tortured for weeks while locked in a Missouri basement, says she was not the only one who was held captive by 39-year-old Timothy Haslett Jr., a white man who has been charged with her rape, kidnapping, and assault.
The community reported her missing and nothing was done. So, this is the wolf I spoke of, with Carlee Russell making this ridiculous abduction claim she has now given another lazy detective a reason not to investigate the next real case.
Crying wolf can get someone else eaten.
Kacy Benefield is an accomplished historian who challenges not just what is being taught but those who are teaching it. Born in Los Angeles, California, a loving son, brother, husband and father who does not make the news but only reports the truth. Benefield is also the co-host of the show Better Benefield.
100%, it’s actually quite disheartening to think that someone would do this without thinking of the repercussions it may have for the next person that finds himself in a real situation with very real danger. ?