The parents of Carlee Russell, the 25-year-old Alabama woman who mysteriously disappeared for over 48 hours last week before returning home, said their daughter was abducted by someone they believe is still at large.

Russell sparked a law enforcement search when she disappeared on Thursday night after calling 911 to report a male toddler in a diaper walking along the highway, and that she was pulling over to check on the child. She then called a family member to report the same thing, but lost contact with the relative before going missing. Police said the relative described hearing Russell scream while on the call.

Police found the nursing student’s car still running with her belongings in and near the vehicle, with no sign of the woman or a child. Detectives also said there were no other reports of a missing child during that time period.

Russell vanished for about two days before showing up alone on foot at her family’s home on Saturday night. Hoover police were alerted by the residence and paramedics took the woman to a hospital in Birmingham, where she was treated and released.

“We tried to hug her as best we could, but I had to stand back because she was not in a good state. So we had to stand back and let medical professionals work with her,” her mother Talitha Russell said in an interview with NBC News that aired on Tuesday. She did not specify in what way her daughter was “not in a good state.”

While police have gathered enough evidence to trace Carlee Russell’s steps until the moment she disappeared, the 48 hours she was gone are still a mystery. The woman’s parents declined to share what their daughter told them upon returning, citing an ongoing investigation, but said that their daughter was abducted.

“Carlee has given detectives her statement, so that they can continue to pursue her abductor,” Talitha Russell read from a statement to the public. The Russells also said they “absolutely” believe their daughter’s abductor is still at large.

Hoover police did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request to confirm whether they are looking for an abductor in Carlee Russell’s case.

The Alabama woman’s disappearance launched a mix of rumors regarding the circumstances around her case. Carlee Russell’s parents said that speculation and conspiracy theories about their daughter’s vanishing are only making things worse, and urged the public to let the investigation play out.

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

Despite the Russells not disclosing details about their daughter’s experience, they stressed that she “definitely fought for her life.”

“There were moments where she physically fought for her life, and there were moments when she had to mentally fight for her life,” Carlee Russell’s mom said. “She made it back.”