Guthrie family reach ‘hour of desperation’ in search for missing mother

American broadcaster Savannah Guthrie has said her family has reached “an hour of desperation” as the deadline set by her mother’s purported abductors approaches.

Guthrie, 54, best known for co-hosting NBC’s breakfast programme Today, has begged for her 84-year-old mother Nancy Guthrie to be brought back home after she went missing on January 31.

She is believed to have been taken against her will, and two alleged ransom notes sent to US media included a deadline for a payment to be made by February 9.

Guthrie did not mention the deadline in an Instagram video, saying her family still believes her mother is out there as the search goes into its second week.

In the video, Guthrie previously spoke directly to the kidnappers and agreed to pay the ransom fee.

Sitting next to her siblings, Camron and Annie, she said: “We received your message and we understand.

“We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace.

“This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”

An investigation was launched following the disappearance of Nancy from her home in Tucson, Arizona.

FBI Phoenix has appealed for information and offered a reward of up to 50,000 US dollars (£36,723) for any details that could lead to the recovery of Nancy or arrest of anyone involved in her disappearance.

Police have not been able to verify whether the ransom notes are real.