Authorities are looking into Papini's past, including her first marriage

Police said they have no reason to doubt the mother-of-two's story

Anonymous donor may donate some of the money to help with recovery

Ransom money offered for her safe return may now go to the Papini family

Police are hunting for two Hispanic women over the kidnapping

The ransom money offered for the safe release of a Californian woman who went missing three weeks ago may now go to her family after she was found battered but alive on Thanksgiving Day.

Sherri Papini, 34, was discovered badly beaten, restrained and dumped by the side of the road in northern Yolo County, more than 150 miles away from where she last seen in Redding, California, last week.

An anonymous donor, operating outside the family and without police help, had offered a $50,000 ransom to her captor for her safe return.

It was withdrawn and turned into a $100,000 reward for information on her whereabouts almost 24 hours before she reappeared.

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Sherri Papini, 34, was discovered badly beaten and dumped by the side of the road in Yolo County, more than 150 miles away from where she last seen in Redding, California, last week

Seeing as the money went unclaimed, part of it may now be given to the Papini family to help support them, the Sacramento Bee reports.

Cameron Gamble, a defense contractor who helps with overseas hostage situations, was hired by the anonymous donor to help negotiate. He said the donor still wanted to 'support the family in any way he can to ensure they receive the necessary treatment for their recovery.'

Gamble said the amount that could potentially go to Papini and her family was 'really up to him (the donor) at this point.'

Papini's family said they had no involvement in the ransom but shared information about it on social media. Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko said last week he did not believe the ransom played a role in her release.

'There's only one hero in this. It's Sherri Papini. She found the key to stay alive,' Gamble told the Sacremento Bee.

The married mother-of-two told investigators she had been abducted by two armed Hispanic women traveling in a dark SUV. Police investigating the kidnapping said they have no reason to doubt her story.

She went missing on November 2 while out for a jog near her home, setting off a massive search and a well-publicized social media campaign, which her family have credited with helping bring her back alive.

Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko confirmed on Sunday that Papini had been assaulted and suffered injuries that required medical treatment.

An anonymous donor who put up ransom money to help find Sherri may now be given to the Papini family to help with their recovery

Negotiator Cameron Gamble (pictured) posted a video online saying an anonymous donor had offered ransom money for the safe return of Sherri Papini

Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko (left) said on Sunday police have no reason to disbelieve the story of kidnapping victim Sherri Papini, 34 (right), who was found battered and dumped by the side of the road on Thanksgiving

Sherri's sister Sheila Koester (left) said her return was the 'most amazing Thanksgiving that our family could ever ask for

'We currently have no reason to disbelieve Sherri Papini's story,' he told ABC News.

Bosenko added that his investigators are now looking into Papini's past, including her first marriage and divorce, as well as any online activity.

TIMELINE OF SHERRI PAPINI'S KIDNAPPING November 2: Sherri Papini fails to pick up her two children from daycare and is reported missing by her husband Keith November 10: Keith Papini is ruled out as a suspect after passing a lie detector test November 18: The FBI joins the search for Sherri as an anonymous donor offers $50,000 for her return November 23: Cameron Gamble, a local 'negotiator', appears in a video on behalf of the anonymous donor to inform Sherri's captors the ransom was now 'off the table'. Instead it was turned into a $100,000 reward for information November 24: Sherri flags down a passing motorist at the intersection of I-5 and County Road 17 and is taken to hospital Advertisement

Authorities have put out 20 warrants requesting access to footage from surveillance cameras in Yolo County and Redding overlooking homes, motels, a church and a business.

They also will be reviewing video captured by traffic cameras and sifting through data from cell towers in an effort to piece together what had happened.

Officials are still looking for the dark SUV and two Hispanic women. Sheriff Bosenko said that the description was based on 'voice recognition' - suggesting that Papini wasn't able to see her captors.

Papini was found at around 4.30am on Thanksgiving Day, bound and left on a rural road near Interstate 5.

'CHP is on scene and advised that she is chained to something,' a radio dispatcher told a responding officer, according to audio obtained by The Sacramento Bee. 'CHP is advising that she is heavily battered.'

'This has been the most amazing Thanksgiving that our family could ever ask for,' Papini's sister, Sheila Koester, said after the woman's return.

'We're all very, very, very excited, very, very relieved and just very thankful for getting our Sherri back.'

Sherri Papini (pictured with her husband Keith and their two children) had mysteriously vanished while out jogging near her home in Redding, California, on November 2

Sherri Papini (pictured on her wedding day to Keith in 2012) was found on Thursday at 4.30am 150 miles from her home. Her hands were bound

Koester said the huge social media campaign and national news coverage of Sherri's disappearance 'was an intricate part in bringing her home to us'.

'As many of you know Sherri has been returned to our family safely,' she said Friday at a press conference. 'She and Keith have been reunited.

'We appreciate the tremendous support that everyone has given us over the past few weeks and appreciate how respectful people are being to their privacy in allowing all of us to recover from this situation.'

She said that the past few weeks had been extremely difficult for the entire family.

'It's been a range of emotions; sadness , anger, right now its just joy, lots and lots of joy.'

Koester also read a prepared statement from Keith and Sherri thanking everyone for their support.

'We are overwhelmed with joy over how supportive everyone has been to help bring us together as a family again. Everyone's tireless efforts has made our family whole again this Thanksgiving.

'Your help in keeping this alive in social media and national news was an intricate part in bringing her home to us. We can not thank you enough.'

When asked about the 'intricate part' social media played, she would only say that , 'getting her face out there was the best thing anyone could do.'

She declined to comment about whether a ransom had been paid or involved in the release of her sister.

She also refused to comment on whether they had discussed the traumatic events her sister had faced.

Keith and Sherri Papini with children Tyler four and Violet, two, on Halloween this year

Koester also thanked the motorist who stopped to help Papini on the side of the road.

'We appreciate that person stopping and helping her,' she said.

One motorist posted on a Facebook page dedicated to finding Papini saying that she had seen her at the side of the road but didn't stop. She did call 911.

'I couldn't stop in time to help you this morning but I did pull over and report to police that I saw you by the road and was certain you needed help,' said Alison Sutton.

'I am thankful that someone else was able to pull over safely to help you and that you are safe. God bless you and your family.'

'I don't know that my call helped her,' she wrote in a follow-up post. 'I am very thankful she is safe and back with her family. This is truly a Thanksgiving to remember.'

Keith Papini reported his wife missing on November 2 when she failed to pick up their children from daycare.

He traced her discarded iPhone to the side of the road about a mile from their home where he found it tossed on the ground with her running 'ear buds'.

Keith was later named as a potential person of interest in the case but ruled out when he passed a lie detector test.

Ken Papini (with his daughter-in-law Sherri Papini) said the family is 'blown away' by the discovery, but always had 'hope' Sherri would make it back home

She went missing on November 2 while out for a jog near her home, setting off a massive search and a well-publicized social media campaign

Ken Papini told the DailyMail.com it was a 'miracle' that his daughter-in-law had been safely returned to them

Father-in-law Ken Papini said the family was 'blown away' when she was found, but always had 'hope' Sherri would make it back home.

'The whole family came together, then the whole town came together, then the whole of the United States,' he told DailyMail.com in an interview after she was found.

'When that happens miracles happen and something like this, I'm still trying to explain it to myself. It's amazing, crazy, but we never lost hope.'

Ken said his son had always believed he'd bring his family back together.

Last week, he promised their two children, Tyler four and Violet, two, that 'mommy' would be home by Thanksgiving.

'Of course we all hoped it would come true, you have to have faith,' said Ken.

'But we had planned to have a nice family Thanksgiving and none of us were allowed to mention it, we would only talk about forgiving and thanks. None of us imagined it might actually come true.'

Ken added that celebrating the holiday safe in the knowledge that Sherri is safe was 'amazing'.

He explained: 'It is amazing and I've got a pretty good trust in that good beats evil and if you keep on and you keep on you get the answers.'

Sherri Papini's two children Tyler, 4, and Violet, 2, smile in a photo posted by Keith Papini on Thursday

Father-in-law Ken Papini said the family is 'blown away' by the discovery, but always had 'hope' Sherri would make it back home (Keith and Sherri Papini on their wedding day)

The 34-year-old resurfaced three weeks after she vanished some 150 miles from her home in Redding (above)

Sherri flagged down a passing motorist at the intersection of County Road 17 and I-5 in Woodland near Sacramento (above)

Ken shared a photo with DailyMail.com of the loving family at Halloween, taken two days before Sherri vanished.

The family, all dressed as cowboys and cowgirls, beamed with happiness.

He also shared wedding photos of Sherri and Keith when they were married in August 2012.

In the end, the children spent Thanksgiving at Keith's mother Pam's house – Pam and Ken are separated.

Before the news broke that Sherri, 34, had been found, the family had planned a balloon release on Thanksgiving morning as a symbol of hope for her return.

The event was held at an annual Turkey Trot 10km run in Redding.

But as dozens of family and friends gathered Ken said everyone was worried because Keith, who had been due to give a speech and read a poem at the event, didn't show.

He recalls: 'It wasn't until right after we let the balloons go when we started realizing what was happening, Keith wasn't there and we were all like, "uh oh", maybe the emotions got to him, we all didn't know what to think.