For the first time since the disappearance of his stepdaughter, Aniah Blanchard, UFC heavyweight competitor Walt Harris made televised statements about the ongoing case.

Harris, and his wife, Angela, appeared on the nationally syndicated “The Dr. Phil Show” on Wednesday to talk about the situation involving the 19-year old Blanchard.

Ibraheem Yazeed is in custody in Lee County, Ala., and has been charged with kidnapping in the case. Blanchard, of Auburn. Ala., was last seen at a convenience store on Oct. 23. Blanchard’s vehicle has since been recovered, and a DNA test from blood found in the card matches Blanchard. Blanchard has not yet been found.

On the show, both Walt and Angela Harris, while understandably distraught over what has transpired, also believed that that some sort of a set up occurred and that this wasn’t just a random happening.

“There’s a lot of things that don’t make sense to us. It seems like it was actually set up and it was something that was planned,’’ Walt Harris said.

Angela Harris believes her daughter knew whomever is responsible for what transpired.

“Personally, I feel that if it was a set-up, it was someone that knew Aniah and that knew her well and it’s someone that would be running with those type of people,’’ she said.

The Harrises also went on to express that while the police indicated based on forensic evidence that Blanchard suffered a life-threatening injury after she disappeared, they’re holding out hope that she survived and will be found and brought home.

You can watch the Harris’ appearance on The Dr. Phil Show in the video linked below.