Home / Crime and Justice / Elizabeth Smart Recounts Harrowing Kidnapping in New Doc
Elizabeth Smart Recounts Harrowing Kidnapping in New Doc
16 Jan
Summary
- Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped at age 14 by Brian David Mitchell.
- She endured rape multiple times daily and was chained up.
- Her captors were convicted; Wanda Barzee was released in 2018.
In a new Netflix documentary, "Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart," the survivor shares her harrowing experience of being abducted from her Salt Lake City home on June 5, 2002. Then 14, she was taken by Brian David Mitchell, who posed as a prophet, and his wife, Wanda Barzee. The documentary includes Smart's family, witnesses, and law enforcement, providing a multifaceted view of the traumatic events.
Smart details the brutal treatment she endured, including repeated sexual assaults, being held in confinement, and being chained for hours. She describes the psychological impact, including feelings of worthlessness and the struggle to overcome the stigma associated with sexual violence. Her captor, Mitchell, was sentenced to life in prison in 2010 for kidnapping Smart.
Wanda Barzee, convicted for her role in the crimes, was released from prison in 2018. However, she was arrested again in May 2025 for violating her sex offender registration status. Smart, now 38, hopes her candid account will empower other survivors and educate the public about the realities of victimhood.
