Savannah Guthrie Addresses Mother’s Disappearance

“Today” show host Savannah Guthrie has commented on her mother’s disappearance in a social media post, expressing gratitude to people for their prayers.

In an Instagram post, Savannah Guthrie said her family believes in the power of prayer and asked people to continue praying for the safe return of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, who has been missing for days.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen on the evening of Jan. 31 at her home near East Skyline Drive and North Campbell Avenue, north of Tucson, Arizona, and investigators believe she may have been abducted while asleep.

“We believe in prayer. We believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. We believe in goodness. We believe in humanity. Above all, we believe in Him,” the show host wrote.

“Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment. We need you.”

Savannah Guthrie quoted a Bible verse in her post and expressed hope for her mother’s return.

“Bring her home,” she concluded her post.

The “Today” show on Feb. 2 included reporting about the disappearance of the co-anchor’s mother. Savannah Guthrie was not at her desk that day.

Authorities have launched a search for Nancy Guthrie. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told reporters on Feb. 2 that “a crime scene” was found at her home and that she did not likely leave on her own.

“She is very limited in her mobility, we know she didn’t just walk out of there, that we know,” Nanos said. “There were other things at the scene that indicate that she did not leave on her own.”

When asked about her health, Nanos said the family had reported that Guthrie has “no cognitive issues at all” and is of sound mind, but added that she has some physical ailments that limit her mobility.

Nanos later told CBS News that investigators believe Nancy Guthrie may have been kidnapped in the middle of the night, noting that the elderly lady could not have left her home by herself.

“This is not dementia-related, she is as sharp as a tack. The family wants everybody to know this isn’t somebody who just wandered off,” the sheriff told reporters on Feb. 2.

Nanos said Nancy Guthrie relies on her daily medication and urged anyone who may have seen the elderly lady to contact the sheriff’s department.

She is described as having brown hair and blue eyes, standing 5 feet, 5 inches tall. It is unknown what she was wearing at the time of her disappearance, according to a missing persons alert from the sheriff’s department.

Searchers were using drones and dogs in the operation. Volunteers and Border Patrol supported search-and-rescue teams, and the homicide team was also involved. Nanos said it is not standard for the homicide team to get involved in such cases.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.