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.”

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

IMO she was kidnapped for sexual experiences, little more. She is very fortunate to be alive.

[Partisan Hack]

I wonder if he is going to claim he is a prophet as well.

He MIGHT have claimed that to an impressionable Elizabeth. Thus the reluctance to try to escape.

[Robert_Paulson2]

the picture of him on KATU news in portland had him in an islamic skull cap like an imam...

the picture of the little girl... was her in a WHITE BURQA.. face covered with the narrow eye slits....

yes... an islamic itinerant preacher.
not just a drifter and friend of the homeless.....

I saw it myself on KATU... he WAS definitely giving her the full sharia treatment... I am wondering how long they will take to tell us what his imam name was....

[Ben Bolt]

keyword bump . I'm not alone I quess .

[Hildy]

Excuse me, there was another woman there. So somebody could have been with her at all times. And what about THAT WOMAN, Wanda???? Nobody is talking about her. If this maniac could control a grown woman, I'm sure he could control a little girl. There is evil in the world. Haven't we all agreed on that?

[GLDNGUN]

Can you imagine being this guy's defense lawyer? Trying to convince a jury that this was consenual? Ugh.

[stlnative]

Well they just pulled the big 1000+ post thread... Why don't some of you people grow up.

As far as pulling threads it should not be done... just ban the people from FR and deleted the posts that are offensive.

PLEASE ADMIN MOD stop punishing all of us by pulling the threads. Please reopen the 1000+ plus post thread.

[Utah Girl]

I received a million pings today. I'm not home in Utah, I'm temporarily in Massachusetts working. I was talking to my mom on the phone and she told me. I didn't have the TV on nor my computer at the time. I'm just so happy Elizabeth is home.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Yes, I was aware of that. I just didn't get into the Yosemite line of thinking, when writing a post.

[marajade]

Not an issue... she's a minor so its criminal...

[Partisan Hack]

The weirdo might be sterile or impotent.

Wishful thinking and not statistically in Elizabeth's favor.(Unfortunately)

[valleygal]

Sorry, I hadn't read your post when I replied. I think his last name was Stayner or Staynor.

[Robert_Paulson2]

This guy who had her. was wearing a muslim cap... and SHE was wearing a burqa on KATU this evening....

this is NOT a mormon plural marriage... it is a mohammedan kidnapping marriage, like the old jihadiis used to carry out...

Islam folks.
Get used to it.
Burqas are legal and can be used to hide anyone.

the girl was in a white burqa.... face covering and all..

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I am so relieved that she is alive, and I cannot imagine the overwhelming joy that her family is experiencing. However, I think it will take a long time for her to rebuild her life. We can only imagine the horrors that she may have experienced. May God bless her and her family. Praise God, that she is found!

[NMFXSTC]

Mo: Seems like you're about the ONLY one who sees this as a voluntary thing and I tend to lean your way.

This kid was not an illiterate...she was from a fairly wealthy family, well eduacted and aware. As you note, since they were walking the streets, all she had to do was yell, run to a cop, a traffic guard, a convenince store...anywhere (and ample opportunity no doubt prevailed according to the history of raoming the country and being on the street).

Yup...methinketh there is a lot more to this than a "kidnap/abduction"...but I also suspect we'll see some form of cover up....ya think?

[Partisan Hack]

Bridgette: Please ping me if the thread is reopened. Also, you have mail.

[stlnative]

It is not fair that you close these threads, because some people cannot stop the rude behavior. PLEASE just delete their posts and BAN them from FR. Stop hurting all of us that are happy about the recovery of Elizabeth Smart.

[Utah Girl]

Thanks for posting the pictures of Elizabeth and her family. I'm still rejoicing that she was found alive. I agree with you about the threads.

[cherry]

I won't be dissalllusioned.....she is alive and she is home....

every long time poster on the Liz Smart threads from way back have all said that they would rejoice if she were pregnant and alive somewhere... rather than dead....

let's all be glad tonite that she is home,no matter what....

[Slyfox]

Furhman...thanks.