Savannah Guthrie is “leaning” on her family amid the disappearance of her mother, Nancy Guthrie.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told Us Weekly on Monday that the 84-year-old’s absence was “difficult” for the Today anchor, 54, and her siblings, sister Annie Guthrie and brother Camron Guthrie.
“They lean on each other,” Nanos said. “They’re very supportive of us and everything we’re doing.”
He went on to call Savannah and her loved ones “involved and committed,” adding: “It’s tough, there’s no question.”
The official noted that Annie was the last person to see Nancy after taking her home from dinner on Saturday night.
The matriarch was reported missing after failing to show up for church on Sunday morning, and police reportedly found bloodstains and signs of forced entry at her residence.
Nanos said at a news conference Monday that she may have been “taken from her home against her will, probably in the middle of the night.”
He believed Nancy had been abducted, explaining, “This is an elderly woman in her mid-80s who has been ill. … She couldn’t go more than 50 yards.”
She is particularly “sharp as a drug” and has a “sound mind”, but is in urgent need of medication.
Savannah has been absent from the “Today” show as she navigates the crisis and is scheduled to withdraw from hosting the Winter Olympics later this week.
The journalist released his first statement on Monday, saying: “On behalf of our family, we would like to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers and messages of support. At this time, our focus remains on the safe return of our beloved mother.”
“We appreciate the efforts of law enforcement in this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900,” the former attorney added.
Later that same night, Savannah asked her Instagram followers to “please pray.”
She wrote, “Thank you for lifting up your prayers with ours. … Please lift up your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted up by them in this moment.”
The Daytime Emmy Award winner’s father, Charles Guthrie, died of a heart attack when Savannah was a teenager.
