Elizabeth Smart May Have Been Photographed WithStreet Preacher At Party in September

http://kutv.com/specialsection/local_story_071193346.html ^ | 03/13/03 | Sonserae

[sonserae]

Elizabeth Smart may have been photographed at a party with transient street preacher Brian David Mitchell in Salt Lake City last September.

A photo taken at the party by Dan Gorder and e-mailed to 2News shows Mitchell with two women wearing veils. One of the females may be Elizabeth.

The photos were snapped three months after Smart was abducted from her home in June. She has been the focus of a massive search since that time.

Smart was found with Mitchell Wednesday in Sandy. Police started looking for Mitchell after Elizabeth's sister said he might be the man who took the girl from her bedroom last June.

Mitchell worked at the Smart's home briefly before Elizabeth's abduction.

Smart may have been traveling with Mitchell and his wife. There are reports that she spent time in the mountains above Salt Lake City and traveled as far as San Diego and Florida during the past nine months.

Police and family members believe that Mitchell abducted Elizabeth and held her against her will. They said Elizabeth did not have the opportunity to escape.

Smart family members said someone was always with Elizabeth and she didn't have a chance to get away or communicate with her family.

It is unclear if Elizabeth was abused or threatened. Some speculate that she may have been the victim of some type of brainwashing.

It is unclear how long Elizabeth was in the Salt Lake area after she disappeared from her home.

The party where the photos were taken was on 10th East and 2nd South in Salt Lake City. Mitchell and the women just walked into the party, according to Gorder.

"I just started snapping photos of them, they looked a little weird," Gorder said. " The women didn't say a word, the man talked about Jesus and stuff like that. He really didn't make a lot of sense."

The women never really looked around at people very much. "It seemed like they were sort of obedient to him."

Gorder said that the man believed to be Mitchell was drinking at the party.

[GrandMoM]

Wasn't there some early speculation that the dad ( and uncle)was gay.....I heard that too! From what I remember, they found gay websites on their computers, but that fact was buried, not denied, real quickly.

[Zavien Doombringer]

The best thing for this family to do now is just shut up and get out of the picture. Why do you think they were able to find her so easily after the sister said something? The more they put themself under the light and into the camera, more are going to prod into thier private life, then all will be let loose. I don't think the public will be bejind them then...

[Tamzee]

It is vile that people are speculating that she went willingly or was somehow responsible for staying with them. Elizabeth was a naive CHILD!

After spending years working with pedophilia issues I know the types of horrible threats these monsters make to force cooperation from their victims. He could have just threatened that he had someone watching her house and, if she tried to get away or call attention to herself, a phone call would result in the death of her sister, brother or parents. I knew a 7-year old boy who was molested by a family "friend" who kept it secret because the man said he would kill his mother. Even AFTER the man was finally found out and in jail, this child was a psychological and physical MESS for years.

Laying any responsibility on her for the kidnapping or captivity is a crime in itself... this was not a street-smart, inner city teenager. All responsibility for what happened to her rests with the adults involved and her repulsive kidnappers.

[Iwo Jima]

The women who were "brainwashed" by Charlie Manson are all serving life sentences, IIRC. As well they should, there being no death penalty in California at the time. I do not believe that there is any such thing as brainwashing which deprives one of free will, Too many good men have endured torture without being brainwashed (although many understandably "broke" after they reached their limit).

[tracer]

"Tomorrow, it could very well be mainstream."

But, fortunately, you won't be....

[Mr. Mojo]

Fortunately is right ;)

[Zavien Doombringer]

She isn't a "Child" but a young adult. She knows her phone number, her address and the city she lives in, she knew where she was, come on in a 20 mile radius. I have a 14 year old! To expect a 14 year old to be helpless you have a mother complex. She wsn't 2 0r 3, or 9 for that matter!

Who are you expecting to be nieve?

[Barney Gumble]

He's not weird, just Mormon. Most Mormons that I've met are very nice people, but naive to the real world.

I wonder why the family hired this nut job to do some handywork?

[Mr. Mojo]

I wonder why the family hired this nut job to do some handywork?

Your question reveals the answer.

[Ruth A.]

Thank you. I will risk having my emotional well-being savaged to say that there is too much rumor-mongering and speculation going on about Elizabeth and her family.

We don't know the tactics used and perhaps it would be wiser to stay quiet until more details are released. Unless you work with and have a better understanding of these situations, you are just guessing. So what if you can't stand someone's voice. How easy it is to float a "gay" or "abusive" rumor, but it does no good.

In our day and age it has become acceptable to attack and find blame with the victims of crime, rather than the perpetrators--yes, even at this forum. There is nothing wrong in simply celebrating one abduction that has been found, because so many do not end up like this.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

What does IIRC mean? I see it here all the time.

[Iwo Jima]

Well, if I remember correctly, it means "if I remember correctly." LOL

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Thank you.

[Hildy]

You are all insane. I can't believe that you would think a 14 year old, sheltered girl would run off with a crazy lunatic in his late 40's but can't believe that there are still good, religious families left in this world. To me, this is the saddest lesson from this episode.

[Iwo Jima]

I'm just thrilled that someone asked me a question like that. AND that I was able to answer! I am pretty close to incompetent in computer matters.

[pepsionice]

Almost all of the followers of Charles Manson...actually believed in him. Nobody was threatened...or at least they haven't really said that over the years. He simply was a mystic type that people were drawn to. The Beatles found themselves drawn to eastern mystics by the early 70s. The whole royal family of the Czar were drawn to Rasputin in Russia. Everyone around Hitler felt magnetic charm and never saw a bit of evil in the guy. This street mystic may have the same charm and simply talked her into being part of his life crusade. Being in a strict mormon house, living a quiet lifestyle, and wanting an outlet into the real world...the street mystic presented an opportunity and she allowed him to persuade her to leave. He is guilty of an awful lot, and will get jail time of at least 20 years....but since he is mentally deranged...I bet he never serves a day in jail. His girlfriend is the same type and will spend her days in a mental hospital.

[Mr. Mojo]

My apologies for leaving you off my ping list (post #20) of emotional wrecks.

[Irene Adler]

Elizabeth was a quiet, intropspective, scared 14-year-old girl thrown into a very, very frightening situation totally out of her experience. She may have been physically abused; we do not know. She was certainly emotionally and psychologically abused. Not all kids are loaded with moxie. By all accounts, Elizabeth was shy, submissive, compliant, and sweet.

As I said on another thread, Hedda Nussbaum in NYC let a defenseless 6-year-old girl (whom she and her boyfriend had adopted) die of a head injury because she wouldn't call 911 even after the boyfriend, who had beaten the child senseless, had left their apartment and stayed gone for 4-6 hours. The child died because her brain swelled during the time she was unconcious on the floor. The killer was imprisoned, but Nussbaum was never punished for allowing the child to die. If a grown woman can be too terrified to help a dying child, even when the attacker has left the premises, then why can't we cut a shy 14-year-old some slack?

In addition, Elizabeth is reported to have said that she was watched at all times. This would not be impossible for two people to do between them. BTW, the incessant insinuations about her family by several FReepers are sickening and based on no evidence.

[Salgak]

Iwo Jima commented:

I do not believe that there is any such thing as brainwashing which deprives one of free will, Too many good men have endured torture without being brainwashed .

One little problem: yes, our POWs withstood torture and brainwash attempts. But they also were instructed on HOW to resist and survive such attempts. I know, I've been through it. But to someone unprepared for the experience, they could be broken AND brainwashed QUITE easily. . .

[Zavien Doombringer]

We do not know if she was sheltered! WE do not know the condition of the family. We do not know if Elizabeth's father was a despot at home. We will never know the condition of the private life that led to her disapearance. There are plenty of homeless runaway teens here in Hampton roads that shelter and get protection from wanderers! You can see them at night sleeping under the piers on the beach. It can happen. Again, She wasn't kidnapped, the screen was cut from the inside! why didn't she just lift the screen up? Because daddy nailed them down!...There is something smelly here. It will come out in time!