First time I’ve ever heard Elizabeth Smart referred to as an “heiress.”
I too found it odd they called her an “heiress.” On the other hand, I found it even odder that they called some homeless lunatic wandering the streets ranting about God a “preacher?”
In some technical sense both of these are right. As long as a woman’s parents are not destitute and they have not disowned her, I guess she is an “heiress.” Similarly I guess homeless people wandering the streets yelling at us are preaching and are thus “preachers” whether they are preaching about God, the end of the world, the aliens that abucted them etc.
Finally when I say lunatic I do not mean to say I know this guy is not legally able to understand right from wrong. I suspect he knew it was wrong to steal someone’s child otherwise why would he do it in the dark of night and force her to where a disguise?
I think it’s a British thing.