Where is Elizabeth Smart? Find out where she is now and how long Elizabeth Smart has been missing since she was abducted at age 14.
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Who is Elizabeth Smart?
Elizabeth Ann Gilmour was born in November 1987. She is a child safety advocate and a reporter for ABC News. Smart became a national celebrity when Brian David Mitchell abducted her from Salt Lake City, Utah at age 14. Mitchell and his wife Wanda Barzee held Smart hostage for nine months before she was rescued on a Sandy, Utah street by police officers.
After her terrifying experience, Smart dedicated her life as an advocate and activist for missing persons. She is a well-known figure in this field because of her remarkable story. Her abduction and subsequent recovery have also been extensively documented in a number of non-fiction books, films and documentaries, providing inspiration and awareness to audiences around the world.
Elizabeth Smart: Where are you now?
Smart revealed that she currently lives in Wasatch county, Utah. She lives a peaceful, ordinary life alongside her husband Matthew Gilmour. They enjoy recreational activities together, especially skiing. Smart and Gilmour enjoy hitting the slopes with their three kids. Her children are Chloe (8 years old), James (5 years old) and Olivia (4 years old).
Elizabeth Smart was abducted by force from her bedroom at her family’s home in Salt Lake City on June 5,2002. She was 14 years old. She was raped daily, confined, and threatened with death every day for nine months. On March 12, 2003 police officers found her in a Sandy, Utah public street, about 18 miles (29 kilometers) from her home. Two witnesses recognized her captors as Brian David Mitchell, and Wanda Ileen Barzee from an episode on the TV show, “America’s Most Wanted.”
Barzee entered a guilty plea on November 16, 2009 to assist in Elizabeth Smart’s kidnapping, as part of an agreement with prosecutors. Barzee was sentenced to 15 years of federal prison by federal judge Dale A. Kimball on May 19, 2010. This included the seven years that she already served. Mitchell was found mentally competent by the court to face trial on charges of sexual assault and kidnapping. In May 2011, he was sentenced to two life sentences in federal prison after being found guilty of both counts.
How long has Elizabeth Smart been missing?
Smart, then 14, was kidnapped from her bed in Salt Lake City. She endured nine months of torture and captivity. Elizabeth Smart’s special tradition for the 20th anniversary, which is March 12, marks the rescue of her from her kidnappers.
She will call her parents every year, as she does on this special day.
Elizabeth Smart Story
Elizabeth Ann Smart, then fourteen years old, was kidnapped by Brian David Mitchell on June 5,2002 from her home in the Federal Heights area of Salt Lake City. Mitchell and his wife Wanda Barzee held Smart in captivity in various locations outside Salt Lake City, California, as well as in San Diego County. Smart was finally found after approximately nine months in captivity. She lived about 18 miles (29km) from her home.
Mitchell, who claimed to be a religious preacher, forced Smart out of her home with a knife, while Mary Katherine, her younger sister pretended that she was asleep. Mitchell, who pretended to be a preacher of religion, kept Smart and Barzee in a wooded camp, where they were repeatedly raped. Smart was largely unknown to those she met, despite being dressed in white robes on numerous occasions by her captors.
After her rescue, Smart is now dedicated to helping missing people and victims of sexual abuse. Barzee received a 15-year sentence in federal prison in 2010 for her involvement in kidnappings and abductions. She was released early on September 19, 2018 due to time previously not credited. Mitchell was diagnosed by forensic psychology with antisocial personality disorder and narcissistic disorders. He faced several years of legal disputes about his ability to stand trial. In 2010, Mitchell was found mentally fit to stand trial. He received a sentence of life without parole in 2011.
What is Elizabeth Smart doing now?
Smart has been a tireless advocate for assault prevention and helping survivors recover since her rescue. She published a book in 2013 called “My Story” where she bravely revealed the details of her horrific experience.
Smart also stated that she is open to sharing with her children her traumatic experience, highlighting her desire to not hide her past. In an interview 2021 with E! In a 2021 interview with E! News, she stressed the importance of acknowledging everyone’s unique personal history. No one lives a perfect life. Smart believes that overcoming hardships and challenges is part of human nature. Smart started talking to her daughter Chloe as she began asking questions. She gradually revealed the truth about Chloe’s past, and offered guidance and support.
Who kidnapped Elizabeth Smart?
Elizabeth Smart, a teenager from Salt Lake City, who was kidnapped in her bedroom, had been brainwashed. Her captor is a self-proclaimed preacher called Brian David Mitchell. Mitchell, a self-proclaimed street preacher who called himself Emmanuel, and claimed to be a divine being, was able to control and manipulate Elizabeth for nine months. Ed Smart, Elizabeth’s dad, believed that Mitchell’s brainwashing techniques were designed to prevent Elizabeth from leaving Mitchell or asking for help from authorities.
Ed Smart, despite the difficulties they had to face, expressed his confidence that his daughter would be able to overcome her ordeal. There was still an ongoing investigation and the possibility of more arrests relating to those who were aware of Elizabeth’s circumstances but did not come forward.
Elizabeth Smart Kidnappers Now
Mitchell was found guilty of kidnapping a minor and illegal transportation, which led to his life sentence. Mitchell is currently serving a life sentence in prison. Smart said that the sexual abuse she suffered became more and more numbing over time. She described the distressing truth, saying “They did everything my captors wanted or threatened to do to [her], and no one was there to protect me.” Mitchell, her captor, repeatedly threatened her to kill herself and her family should she attempt to escape. This memory is etched in her mind.
Smart revealed the many rapes she endured at Mitchell’s hand, causing her not only physical but also emotional pain. She carried the fear of rejection throughout her adult life because she was no longer a virgin. “If people find out what happened, they won’t want to interact with you,” she believed. No one will want to associate with me because it is tarnished.
How was Elizabeth Smart kidnapped?
A tragic incident occurred on June 5, 2002 when Smart, an 14-year old girl, was forcedly abducted at knifepoint from her bedroom in the family home in Salt Lake City. During the nine-month period that followed, Smart endured daily bondage and was constantly threatened with death if she dared to escape. The darkness that had consumed her life began to be pierced with rays.
On March 12, 2003 a group vigilant police officers came into her rescue in Sandy, Utah. This was 18 miles (29km) from her house. The officers’ timely intervention was enabled by their recognition of two witnesses that had seen the abductors Brian David Mitchell, and Wanda Ileen Barzee on an episode of “America’s Most Wanted.”