Salt Lake City, UT – The gripping question “who kidnapped Elizabeth Smart Netflix” viewers are asking gets answered in the explosive new documentary Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart, streaming now on Netflix. It uncovers the 2002 abduction of 14-year-old Elizabeth from her Mormon family’s upscale home by religious fanatic Brian David Mitchell and his wife Wanda Barzee, exposing nine months of horror that shattered a community’s faith.
Raised in a devout LDS household, Smart’s kidnapping pierced Salt Lake City’s Federal Heights enclave. On June 5, 2002, Mitchell – a self-proclaimed prophet known as “Immanuel” – slipped into her bedroom at knifepoint, dragging her away as her sister Mary Katherine pretended to sleep. The Netflix film features fresh interviews, police sketches, and Smart’s raw reflections on surviving daily rapes, starvation, and brainwashing in remote camps.
Who Kidnapped Elizabeth Smart Netflix: Meet the Perpetrators
The who kidnapped Elizabeth Smart Netflix saga centers on Brian David Mitchell, 48 at the time, a drifter and ex-Mormon who’d spiraled into extremism after losing jobs and marrying Wanda Barzee, 57. Posing as a holy man, Mitchell justified the abduction as divine command, forcing a mock “marriage” ceremony and chaining Smart to a tree in Dry Creek Canyon – just miles from her home.
Barzee aided the plot, veiling Smart during town errands and enforcing obedience. The trio fled to San Diego campsites in September 2002, where Mitchell attempted another kidnapping. Rescued March 12, 2003, in Sandy, Utah, by alert citizens spotting Mitchell from America’s Most Wanted, Smart initially gave a false name but soon reunited with family.
Mitchell was ruled incompetent for trial until 2010, sentenced to life in 2015. Barzee, cooperating, got 15 years (released 2018 with restrictions).
Trauma and Faith Crisis in Who Kidnapped Elizabeth Smart Netflix
Smart’s Netflix account details post-rescue isolation: “I sat through endless chastity lessons but nothing on rape vs. consent. I felt filthy, wondering if my family would reject me.” Interviews by religious men retraumatized her, echoing Mitchell’s manipulations.
“I don’t blindly accept teachings anymore,” Smart shares. “Faith gave values, but trauma forced me to question everything personally.” Now a mom, she breaks silence cycles: “We use real body names, teach fighting back, and promise unconditional support – no shame.”
Why Who Kidnapped Elizabeth Smart Netflix Resonates Today
The doc revives a case that fueled Amber Alerts and victim advocacy. Smart founded the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, pushing safety education. Her path from shame to empowerment is a source of inspiration in the context of #MeToo’s echoes.
Key Facts: Who Kidnapped Elizabeth Smart Netflix
- Date: June 5, 2002 – March 12, 2003 (9 months).
- Kidnappers: Brian David Mitchell (mastermind), Wanda Barzee (accomplice).
- Method: Knifepoint bedroom entry; camps in Utah/California.
- Rescue: Public tip in Sandy, UT; Smart reunited joyfully.
- Legacy: Mitchell life sentence; Smart’s anti-trafficking work.
- Netflix Angle: New interviews expose faith/rape stigma gaps.
Watch Who Kidnapped Elizabeth Smart Netflix Now
Stream Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart for unseen footage, family insights, and Smart’s unfiltered truth. It probes how religion cloaked evil, why conversations save lives, and one woman’s unbreakable spirit. Perfect for true crime fans – does it redefine the case?