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Elizabeth Smart who vanished from Utah home found safe
Seattle Times ^
| March 12, 2003
| Mike Carter
Posted on 03/12/2003 8:01:09 PM PST by 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 girls 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 girls 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.
Mitchells sister called authorities with his identity after the familys Feb. 3 news conference. The mans 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 girls 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, Elizabeths 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 Smarts 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.
Elizabeths 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.
Childrens 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 shes alive. It gives hope to people to never give up.
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News; US: Utah; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: elizatethsmart
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Don't know why a Seattle paper would have this first, and the sources are unnamed, so I don't accept it blindly.
1
posted on
03/12/2003 8:01:10 PM PST
by
Shermy
To: nmh; Utah Girl; Joe Hadenuf; swarthyguy; RnMomof7
Here's the famous "Seattle" story.
2
posted on
03/12/2003 8:02:23 PM PST
by
Shermy
To: Shermy
Seattle? Wow!
Also when are we going to see some updated pictures of a "chunky" Elizabeth?
To: Shermy
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.
4
posted on
03/12/2003 8:06:03 PM PST
by
My Favorite Headache
(Which one will lose? Depends on what I choose or maybe which voice...I ignore.)
To: Partisan Hack
Reports on the Cable news shows kept mentioning "a story from a Seattle paper", so I pointed my browser there.
5
posted on
03/12/2003 8:08:35 PM PST
by
Shermy
To: Shermy
Thanks for posting this.
To: Shermy
Interesting.......
Comment #8 Removed by Moderator
To: Partisan Hack
"chunky" Elizabeth? Do you mean "chunky" as in pregnant? Given the details in this story, I wouldn't be at all surprised.
9
posted on
03/12/2003 8:14:36 PM PST
by
r9etb
To: Joe Hadenuf
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.
10
posted on
03/12/2003 8:16:26 PM PST
by
Shermy
To: r9etb
She may have just filled out because she's at the age where changes happen very quickly. Let's hope so.
To: HARD ATTACK 51
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.
To: Shermy
God tells me Salma Hayek should be my new wife,but the old one doesnt believe it.
13
posted on
03/12/2003 8:21:46 PM PST
by
woofie
To: Shermy
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.
14
posted on
03/12/2003 8:22:15 PM PST
by
dennisw
( http://www.littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/weblog.php)
To: Partisan Hack
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.
15
posted on
03/12/2003 8:23:00 PM PST
by
Utah Girl
("We must stop evil before it becomes too powerful." - Elie Weisel.)
To: Shermy
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.
16
posted on
03/12/2003 8:23:19 PM PST
by
FirstTomato
("In the end,We will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends" M L King)
To: Shermy
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.
To: Shermy
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.
To: homeschool mama
Thanks, hs mama. This poster is going to try to spread more incorrect "facts" on this thread, also.
19
posted on
03/12/2003 8:26:21 PM PST
by
Slip18
To: dennisw
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.
20
posted on
03/12/2003 8:26:22 PM PST
by
FirstTomato
("In the end,We will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends" M L King)
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