Elizabeth Smart who vanished from Utah home found safe

Seattle Times ^ | March 12, 2003 | Mike Carter

[Shermy]

Elizabeth Smart, the 15-year-old Salt Lake City girl kidnapped from her home last June, had been held in a polygamous relationship by a man who believed God had told him to take her as another wife.

Police sources in Utah, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the man had kidnapped the girl more than 8 months ago and she was living with him and at least one other woman in a house in suburban Sandy, Utah, about 20 miles south of the girl’s home.

The girl was found alive — against all hope — in a car stopped by police.

“Miracles do exist,” said the girl's uncle, Tom Smart. He said the girl was in good condition.

Elizabeth was wearing a wig when police in Sandy pulled over the drifter, a man known as Emmanuel, authorities said. She was taken to the Salt Lake City police department, where her family was with her.

Brian David Mitchell

The man, whose real name is Brian David Mitchell, had worked “for about five hours” at the girl’s parents' luxurious home in the foothills near the state Capitol more than a year earlier, the source said. Police say he had become enamored of the girl at that time and prayed about taking her as another wife.

“It was a religious thing,” the source said. “This guy just wanted another wife and God told him this was the one.”

A month ago, the Smarts held a news conference where they released a sketch of Mitchell, who did work at their home in November 2001. As recently as yesterday, the family openly criticized police for not devoting enough attention to the former handyman.

Mitchell’s sister called authorities with his identity after the family’s Feb. 3 news conference. The man’s stepson gave investigators photos of Mitchell and said his stepfather was “capable” of kidnapping a child.

He also said Mitchell believes he is a prophet who needs to preach to the homeless and has no source of income other than handouts.

On the night of June 5, 2002, a man cut the screen in the girl’s bedroom window and climbed inside. Armed with a handgun, he took the child from her bed while her little sister, Mary Katherine, witnessed the kidnapping. The sister, afraid the man was still in the house, laid in bed for several hours before waking her parents and reporting the kidnapping.

Last month, Elizabeth’s younger sister was re-interviewed by detectives and told them that the man who broke into the bedroom that night resembled the man she knew as Emmanuel. Elizabeth Smart’s parents issued a new reward and released a sketch of the man.

Until then, police were disheartened over the disappearance. Their main suspect, a convicted burglar named Richard Albert Ricci, had died in prison of a brain hemorrhage last August. He had steadfastly denied any role in kidnapping the girl.

Investigators have said they believe Ricci was involved but may not have acted alone.

“They should have caught this guy by now,” said Tom Smart. “The police are too vested in Ricci.”

Elizabeth’s father, Ed, was less harsh but expressed his “frustration” at public statements made by police dismissing Mitchell as a potential suspect.

Police said they followed up more than 16,000 leads from the public in addition to those they came up with themselves.

Children’s advocates were elated by the good news.

“We are very, very relieved,” said Marilyn Ward, director of Child Search, a national missing children center based in Houston. “This should help the cause of missing children everywhere. We are thankful she’s alive. It gives hope to people to never give up.”

[Shermy]

Don't know why a Seattle paper would have this first, and the sources are unnamed, so I don't accept it blindly.

[Shermy]

Here's the famous "Seattle" story.

[Partisan Hack]

Seattle? Wow!

Also when are we going to see some updated pictures of a "chunky" Elizabeth?

[My Favorite Headache]

The arrogant police dropped the ball again. Sorry folks..not kissing their asses for their hard work. This could have been over months ago had they done the real investigating on this guy.

[Shermy]

Reports on the Cable news shows kept mentioning "a story from a Seattle paper", so I pointed my browser there.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Thanks for posting this.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Interesting.......

[r9etb]

"chunky" Elizabeth?

Do you mean "chunky" as in pregnant? Given the details in this story, I wouldn't be at all surprised.

[Shermy]

This reporter must be in tight with the local authorities in SLC. Elizabeth was found a little after 1:00 pm MST. The article was posted 5:14 p.m. PST - just five hours later. Curious.

[A_perfect_lady]

She may have just filled out because she's at the age where changes happen very quickly. Let's hope so.

[homeschool mama]

You should get the facts straight, hard attack. The creep and creepette took her to San Diego and on to Florida. She wasn't in Sandy, Utah for 9 months.

[woofie]

God tells me Salma Hayek should be my new wife,but the old one doesnt believe it.

[dennisw]

“Miracles do exist,” said the girl's uncle, Tom Smart. He said the girl was in good condition..........

Today. And tomorrow the miracle will be diminished. We're going to be revulsed by what this man did to her to send her into a lifetime of psychotherapy. Since she didn't escape he definitely had her under his thumb. I hope for the best so don't flame me.

[Utah Girl]

I've been talking with my friend, she saw a photo of Elizabeth on the local news station, in braids, and she definitely had put on weight. SHe was looking down. I'm not in Utah right now, so I can't give any accounts of the local news.

I just asked my friend about the polygamy allegations, she's been glued to the TV most of the afternoon, and hasn't heard anything like that. This court case is going to be something else.

[FirstTomato]

Thank God this young lady was found. But this is just the beginning. This family will never be the same. Elizabeth has changed and is no longer the young innocent girl that was kidnapped. The family has been through hell worrying about her. Now they will have to find a way to continue life as a NEW family, different than the one that existed when Elizabeth was kidnapped.

I'm sure they will succeed. But it will be hard.

[I still care]

Last year I told my friends I bet she was kidnapped for plural marriage. There are some very strange people involved in strange variants of Mormanism, and incest and underage rape are part of some of these. This girl got national press, but girls born naturally into some of these families suffer terrible abuse.

[Welsh Rabbit]

I'm so glad she was found alive and in good physical health, but I don't feel the public is entitled to know all the sick details of her captivity (not that I'm buying this Seattle Times story right off the bat). I sincerely hope the media (I know they won't though) shows some restraint and not broadcast all the disgusting things they find regarding this case.

[Slip18]

Thanks, hs mama. This poster is going to try to spread more incorrect "facts" on this thread, also.

[FirstTomato]

This girl would be further harmed by psychologists or psychiatrists, who are no better than voo-doo doctors. She needs the love and affection of her family, and the counseling of her faith, and patience, lots of patience.

And more love.