Savannah Guthrie has made an emotional public appeal after a note claiming her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, is dead was revealed publicly for the first time.
The American broadcaster and journalist fought back tears as she urged anyone with information to come forward during an appearance on NBC's Today show.
Nancy, 84, has been missing since 31 January, when relatives dropped her off at her home in Tucson, Arizona. Investigators believe she was taken from the property during the night after surveillance footage emerged.
On Tuesday, NBC reported on an anonymous note, seen by several media outlets, which claimed Nancy died shortly after her alleged abduction and was buried somewhere outdoors.
The February note followed an earlier message sent to Savannah and her siblings demanding $6 million (£4.53 million) in Bitcoin in exchange for Nancy's safe return.
Addressing viewers on Today, Savannah said, "I love you guys and I love this place. This is unusual and unprecedented to say the least, to be sitting here. I don't have any comment on this story, and I'm not involved in our coverage, but I can't pretend I'm not here."
"And so since I am, I want to just take the opportunity to ask people, to really to beg people to come forward," she continued. "Somebody knows something, and this is a new story today that is on your radar, but this is the life that my sister lives, that I live, that my brother lives, that our extended families live, that our children live, every day. And we are in agony. We cannot be at peace."
Fighting back tears, Savannah made a direct appeal for help.
"No matter how much I try to come out here every day and smile and find that joy, and I will, I promise I will, this is a moment to tell you that we need your help," she stated. "We're begging for your help, and I'm not going to miss that opportunity."
"And so please if you're watching, no matter how small, the reward is there. You can tell us, it can be anonymous," the broadcaster continued. "Please do the right thing for us, for our family, for our children. We love our mom, and we'll never stop looking for her, ever."
Savannah and her family are offering a $1 million (£755,000) reward for information leading to Nancy's return.
Source: © Cover Media