Elizabeth Smart believes there is still hope that Nancy Guthrie may be alive, even months after her disappearance sparked an active investigation.

Speaking during a CNN interview with Erin Burnett aired on May 5, Smart was asked whether she thought Guthrie could have survived. Her answer was clear and firm.

"Absolutely. She could absolutely still be alive," Smart said.

Smart, who was abducted as a teenager in 2002 and later rescued, pointed to other long-term missing person cases where victims were found alive after years had passed. She emphasized that time alone should not end the search.

"We're talking years and years, so she could absolutely still be alive," she added. "Of course there is the alternative, but until we know, we have to keep looking."

According to People, she also stressed that regardless of the outcome, Guthrie deserves answers. "Either way, she deserves to be brought home," Smart said.

Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing from her Tucson, Arizona home on February 1. Authorities believe she was taken against her will after she failed to attend church following a family outing. No suspects have been publicly identified.

Elizabeth Smart Says Nancy Guthrie Could Still Be Alive

Investigators have been working on what officials described as a complex case. DNA evidence found at the scene has complicated the investigation, and officials have said it could take months before lab results are fully understood. The FBI has also joined local authorities in the search.

In addition, reports indicated that a masked individual was seen near Guthrie's home around the time she disappeared, though details remain under investigation. Her home was later treated as a crime scene as officials continued gathering evidence.

Smart's comments carry special weight because of her own experience. She was kidnapped at age 14 and held for nine months before being found alive in 2003, PageSix reported.

Since then, she has become a public advocate for missing children and survivors of violent crime. Her perspective has often focused on keeping hope alive in difficult cases, especially when little information is available early in investigations.

Savannah briefly stepped away from her role on "Today" earlier this year before returning in April, while continuing to support the search for her mother.