Carlee Russell’s parents on Tuesday morning appeared on the TODAY show to discuss the disappearance of the 25-year-old who vanished Thursday after saying she saw a toddler walking on a Hoover interstate.

Talitha Robinson-Russell and Carlos Russell told Priscilla Thompson that speculation about what happened is upsetting to Carlee, but declined to say what Russell told them when she came home Saturday, “citing the ongoing investigation.”

“Carlee has given detectives her statement so they can continue to pursue her abductor,” her mother said, reading from a prepared statement.

Asked if they believe there was “an abductor still out there,” Russell’s mother replied, “Absolutely.”

“Anything leading to the case itself, we can’t discuss that,” her mother said. “She found her way back to us, however we can’t discuss the details of that.”

Her mother said also, “There were definitely moments where she fought for her life. There were moments she had to physically fight for her life and there were moments she had to mentally fight for her life.”

Russell’s mother described the moment her daughter returned home.

”To me, I mean, so much joy. We tried to hug her as best we could, but I had to stand back because she was not in a good state,’’ she said.

“So, we had to stand back and let medical professionals work with her.”

They said speculation about the circumstances surrounding Russell’s disappearance only makes things worse.

”She’s having to deal with the trauma of people just making completely false allegations about her,’’ she said.

Hoover police continue to investigate the disappearance, saying on Monday that they were retracing her steps during the two days she was missing and had found no evidence she was followed.

Investigators said they confirmed that Russell left work from a business at The Summit- which family said was The Woodhouse Day Spa – in Birmingham at approximately 8:20 p.m. Thursday.

She ordered food from a nearby business at The Colonnade – Taziki’s – and drove there.

Russell called Hoover 911 at 9:34 p.m. saying she saw a toddler boy in a diaper walking on I-459.

The conversation with the 911 operator ended and Carlee called a relative, which family has identified as her brother’s girlfriend. Russell went missing during that conversation sometime after 9:36 p.m.

Hoover police officers minutes later found her red Mercedes still running.

They found Russell’s wig, cell phone and purse on the roadway near her vehicle, and Carlee’s Apple Watch was in her purse.

At 10:44 p.m. on July 15th, the Hoover 911 center received a call from Russell’s residence that she had returned home on foot. She was taken to UAB Hospital to be evaluated and was treated and released.

Russell’s mother released a statement on Facebook early Sunday afternoon, but it did not shed light on what happened during Russell’s disappearance.