[Catspaw]

Read carefully. She told the cops she was never left alone. Until we know more, I'd suggest you withhold your condemnation of Elizabeth Smart. Your "blaming the victim" is far too transparent.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Per the Deseret News, she spent several days staying in the apartment of Daniel Trotta, 24, a block from the SL police HQ. She was veiled the whole time, but Trotta, who was not involved in "Emmanuel's" pseudo-religion, says he saw no sign that anything was preventing her from leaving. "Emmanuel" and his veiled wife presented her as their daughter, she didn't disagree, and even chatted about favorite classes she'd taken in school. A LOT requires explanation here, especially since she's obviously happy to be home, which pokes a hole in theories of brainwashing -- that kind of brainwashing doesn't get undone in a few hours.

[webstersII]

"Read carefully. She told the cops she was never left alone. Until we know more, I'd suggest you withhold your condemnation of Elizabeth Smart. Your "blaming the victim" is far too transparent."

Apparently she wasn't ever left alone but she was taken out in public frequently. There are some pictures of her with her captors at a street party in SLC back in September with hundreds of people around.

There would have had to be more than just physical control going on here, whether Stockholm syndrome or some other mental abuse.