'I'm So Sorry, Mommy': Savannah Guthrie Says She Feels Responsible for Mother Nancy’s Kidnapping

Savannah Guthrie has opened up about her mother’s disappearance in her first interview since the tragedy. During a conversation with her Today co-host Hoda Kotb, the 54-year-old shared a heartbreaking thought, saying she sometimes feels responsible for her mother’s kidnapping.

The broadcast journalist stated that her fame and money could have prompted the kidnappers to abduct her 84-year-old mother for ransom. Savannah says when she shared the thought with her brother, Camron Guthrie, even he agreed that it could be a possibility.

“[I asked Camron] Do you think because of me? And he said, ‘I'm sorry, sweetie, but yeah, maybe.’ But I knew that. We still don't know, honestly, we don't know anything,” Savannah said.

She added that she feels guilty about the situation and just wants to apologize to her mother.

“But it's because she's my mom, and somebody thought, ‘Oh, that girl, that lady has money, we can make a quick buck.’ I mean, that would make sense, but we don't know. Which is too much to bear, to think that I brought this to her bedside. That, it's because of me. And I just say, ‘I'm so sorry, mommy,’” Savannah said.

Savannah’s interview is being released in three parts on the Today show. The first two installments come out on March 26, while the third and final part is scheduled for March 27. During the discussion, Savannah also recalled the horrific call in which her sister, Annie, informed her that their mother was missing.

“I said, ‘Is everything OK?’ And she said, ‘No, mom's missing.’ And I said, ‘What? What are you talking about?’ She was in a panic. I was in a panic. We thought that she must have had some kind of medical episode in the night, and that somehow the paramedics had come,” she recollected.

Savannah further revealed that the back door of Nancy’s home was left open when she went missing. The family made it clear to the Pima County Sheriff that their mother can not wander off on her own, as she has severe health issues. Soon, the family called local hospitals to check whether Nancy had been admitted.

“We thought maybe they came, and there was a stretcher, and they took her out the back. But her phone was there, and her purse was there, and all her things. And it just didn’t make any sense. So then I started calling the hospitals, and the police were there and talking to (Annie) at the same time, and it was just chaos and disbelief,” Savannah said.

As none of the hospitals had any information about Nancy, it became apparent to the family that their mother had gone missing. The incident took place on February 1. Ever since, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department has been investigating the case along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Detectives have not been able to trace Nancy so far, but her family continues to hope for her return.