"Today Show" Host Savannah Guthrie
To Kidnapper: "We Will Be Waiting to Hear From You"
In the United States, the mother of a well-known broadcaster has been kidnapped, prompting an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and controversy is growing after some media outlets reported that "a letter demanding ransom in Bitcoin has been delivered."
On the 4th (local time), Savannah Guthrie, host of NBC's morning news program "Today Show," appealed to the kidnapper who abducted her 84-year-old mother to provide proof that her mother is alive. Savannah has been NBC's flagship anchor, hosting the Today Show for more than 10 years since 2012.
In a video posted on Instagram that day, Savannah said to the kidnapper, "We are waiting to hear from you and we are ready to talk." However, she added, "We live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated," stressing, "We need to be able to confirm beyond any doubt that my mother is alive and that she is actually with you." She then added, "Please reach out to us."
Toward the end of the video, Savannah addressed her mother, saying, "Mom, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman," and "You are a precious daughter of God."
Earlier, on the 2nd, local media including the Associated Press reported that Savannah's mother, Nancy Guthrie, had gone missing in Arizona. Police said there were signs of forced entry at her home and announced that they were focusing their investigation on the possibility of kidnapping. Local outlets later reported that a ransom letter had been delivered to the TV station, and that the letter allegedly demanded Bitcoin worth several million dollars. Police are investigating the authenticity of the letter.
Meanwhile, Nancy was last seen at her home at around 9:30 p.m. on January 31. It has been reported that her family realized the next day that she was missing and filed a missing-person report with the police.
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