Elizabeth Smart Kidnapping

On June 5, 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was taken at knifepoint from her bedroom in her family's home in the Federal Heights neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. Her younger sister Mary Katherine, age nine, witnessed the abduction from the same bedroom but remained still out of fear. Elizabeth Smart was held captive for nine months, subjected to sexual assault and psychological manipulation, before being found alive and returned to her family. CNN

The kidnapping prompted a massive search effort, one of the most extensive in Utah history, and significant media coverage. Elizabeth was the daughter of Ed Smart, a prominent real estate broker, and Lois Smart. She was taken by Brian David Mitchell, a self-styled street preacher who had done handyman work for the Smart family a year earlier.

Mitchell, who called himself "Emmanuel," believed he was carrying out God's command to take polygamous "wives." He and his wife Wanda Barzee held Elizabeth in a makeshift campsite in the foothills above Salt Lake City, then moved her to San Diego and Las Vegas. Throughout her captivity, Elizabeth was often in public but disguised with robes and a veil.

In October 2002, Mary Katherine recalled that the man who had taken Elizabeth was the same handyman "Emmanuel" who had worked for the family. This identification narrowed the investigation. America's Most Wanted featured the story, and in March 2003, viewers in the San Diego area spotted Elizabeth walking near Sandy, Utah with Mitchell and Barzee and called police. The Guardian

Elizabeth Smart was found alive on March 12, 2003, after nine months of captivity. She was 15 years old. Her rescue inspired national celebration and renewed discussions about child safety, abduction prevention, and how communities search for missing children. NPR

Mitchell and Barzee were immediately arrested when Elizabeth was found. Both were charged with federal kidnapping and other crimes. The prosecution was complicated by Mitchell's extensive bizarre behavior and both his and his defense team's claims of incompetency.

Barzee eventually pleaded guilty in 2010 and was sentenced to more than 15 years in federal and state prison. She was released in September 2018.

Mitchell's trial was delayed for years due to competency hearings and appeals. He was found competent to stand trial in 2010. His trial finally began in November 2010. Elizabeth Smart testified at the trial, facing her captor and providing detailed testimony about the abuse she endured. Washington Post

On December 10, 2010, a federal jury convicted Mitchell of all charges, including kidnapping a minor and taking a minor across state lines for sexual purposes. BBC

On May 25, 2011, U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball sentenced Brian Mitchell to two life sentences — one for each federal charge. AP News

Elizabeth Smart became a prominent advocate for victims of kidnapping and sexual violence. She married Matthew Gilmour in 2012, has three children, and co-founded the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, which provides education on personal safety to children.