Savannah Guthrie Recounts Terrifying Kidnapping of Her Mother

Savannah Guthrie Details Harrowing Kidnapping of Her Mother

Television anchor Savannah Guthrie has shared the deeply personal and terrifying account of her mother’s kidnapping. The ordeal began with a panicked phone call from her sister, revealing their mother was missing. Guthrie recounted the moment she learned the devastating news, describing the immediate confusion and fear that gripped her and her siblings. “My sister called me. And I said, is everything okay? And she said no, she said Mom is missing. And I said what? What are you talking about? She said, she’s gone,” Guthrie recalled in a recent telling of the story.

A Mysterious Disappearance and Rising Fears

The initial moments were filled with disbelief and a desperate attempt to make sense of the situation. The back doors of her mother’s home were found propped open, leading to speculation about a medical emergency. However, the presence of her mother’s purse and phone, along with other personal belongings, quickly dispelled that theory. “All her things. And it just didn’t make any sense,” Guthrie explained. The family’s fear escalated when they discovered blood on the front doorstep and realized the Ring camera had been removed.

Intelligence Background Points to Kidnapping

Guthrie’s brother, a former military intelligence officer and fighter pilot, immediately recognized the signs of a more sinister event. “My brother, you know, he spent his career in the military. And worked in intelligence. And a fighter pilot. And is brilliant, and he saw very clearly right away what this was,” Guthrie stated. He voiced the grim possibility that their mother had been kidnapped for ransom. Guthrie admitted her initial shock and reluctance to accept this possibility, even questioning if she was the reason for the attack. “And I said, I think she’s been kidnapped. For ransom. And I said, what? What? I mean, the sounds so — like how dumb could I be, but I just, I didn’t want to believe. I just said, do you think because of me?” she shared.

The Unbearable Reality and Ransom Demands

The family faced the surreal reality of speaking to kidnappers and begging for mercy. Guthrie described the profound difficulty of their situation: “It is surreal. It’s how is it possible that we are having to make a video speaking to a kidnapper? Who took an 84-year-old woman in the dead of night in her pajamas. With no shoes. Without her medicine.” Multiple ransom notes were sent, though Guthrie believes only two were genuine. She expressed disgust for those who would send fake notes to a family in such distress. “And I believe the two notes we received that we responded to, I tend to believe those are real,” she noted.

Facing Cruel Speculation and Finding Faith

The appearance of Ring camera footage showing the suspect only intensified the terror. Guthrie found the images horrifying, unable to comprehend what her mother must have experienced. “I mean, it’s just absolutely terrifying. It’s just totally terrifying. And I can’t imagine that that is who she saw standing over her bed,” she said. Adding to their pain was the cruel speculation that began to circulate, suggesting family involvement. Guthrie described this as “unbearable” and a “pile of pain upon pain.” Throughout the ordeal, Guthrie found strength in her faith and her mother’s example, hearing a divine message that brought her peace. “I can handle anything, God, I can handle anything. I just can’t handle not knowing. We can’t handle not knowing. I have to know. And I heard a voice. And it said, you do know where she is. She’s with me. So whether she’s on this earth still or whether she is in heaven, I know where she is. I know who she’s with,” Guthrie concluded.

Source: How Savannah Guthrie navigated the terrifying early days of her mom’s kidnapping (YouTube)