India, Sept. 11 -- Savannah Guthrie's reference to missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, on the Thursday episode of the TODAY show sparked worries online. Many felt the TODAY show host was expressing her belief that the 84-year-old was dead.

Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her Catalina Foothills home near Tucson, Arizona, on February 1. Authorities believe she was kidnapped the night before. It has been over seven months and no suspect has been announced to the public in the Nancy Guthrie case. Authorities have also not zeroed in on her possible whereabouts, as far as public information is concerned.

Savannah Guthrie spoke about Nancy Guthrie in the past tense when referring to her missing mother.

"My mother's family w-, my mother was...