A new Netflix documentary revisits the harrowing 2002 case of a 14-year-old girl snatched from her bedroom in Salt Lake City by a man with a knife, who held her captive for nine months of abuse and brainwashing.
A fresh Netflix documentary has sparked renewed fascination with one of the most chilling child abduction cases in recent history.
It examines the tale of a teenage girl who vanished from her bedroom, sparking public fury, mass mobilisation, and revealing major flaws in how authorities handled such incidents during the 2000s.
In the early hours of June 5, 2002, an intruder armed with a knife broke into a home in Salt Lake City, Utah. He proceeded to abduct a 14 year old girl from the bedroom she occupied with her younger sister – who stirred during the kidnapping but feigned sleep.
The next morning, upon discovering the girl’s disappearance, her parents found a window screen had been slashed and contacted police.
News of the incident spread rapidly, and before long the entire nation’s attention was focused on Elizabeth Smart’s story, with everyone searching for any leads that might reveal her location, reports the Mirror US.
The day after, Elizabeth’s parents made an emotional appeal for her safe return, and a search operation involving as many as 2,000 volunteers, sniffer dogs and aircraft began.
However, investigations proved fruitless, and weeks of searching stretched into months, during which hundreds of potential suspects were questioned.
Whilst the whole country hunted for her, Elizabeth was being kept in isolated camps beyond the city limits by a man who proclaimed himself a spiritual prophet alongside his wife. Brian Mitchell had a turbulent background, having been both a victim and a serial perpetrator of sexual assault.
He also struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, and was wed to Wanda Barzee – who maintained a fractured relationship with her estranged children, one of whom later described her as a “monster”.
During her imprisonment, the pair compelled Elizabeth to trek miles barefoot through the mountains, proclaimed her Mitchell’s “wife” in a crude ceremony, and continuously sexually abused her throughout nine months.
The girl was bound to trees, concealed in holes, starved for extended periods, drugged and intimidated. The couple forced her to reject her identity and adopt a new name, whilst Mitchell delivered apocalyptic sermons and told her she had been selected for a sacred mission – convincing her that fleeing would result in her family’s death.
Despite the widely-publicised nature of the case, Elizabeth was regularly brought into public areas by Mitchell and Barzee. They brought her to libraries, supermarkets, social events and restaurants, where the trio remained undetected.
On one occasion in a public library, one visitor recognised the girl and contacted the police. Officers turned up and questioned the group but departed without taking action, believing the girl was the couple’s daughter.
Months afterwards, Elizabeth’s younger sister and sole witness to the incident, Mary Katherine, suddenly recalled recognising the kidnapper’s voice. She succeeded in identifying it as belonging to “Immanuel”, a man the family had employed to repair their roof and clear leaves for a single day.
Despite police doubts, the family compiled a composite image and distributed it to the press in early 2003. Mitchell’s family members recognised him from the sketch and alerted the authorities.
Eventually, in March 2003, two different couples spotted the man in Sandy, Utah, accompanied by a woman and a girl, and telephoned police. Officers confirmed the girl was Elizabeth and freed her upon their arrival.
Even following months of abuse and being taken from her captors, the girl persisted in using her assumed identity – Augustine Marshall – and enquired whether Mitchell and Barzee would be alright.
That very day, Elizabeth was brought back to her family and returned to domestic life, whilst attempting to come to terms with the preceding nine months of imprisonment.
Now in police custody, Mitchell received diagnoses of antisocial and narcissistic personality disorders, though questions arose over his mental competency to face trial – which delayed court proceedings for years.
Not until 2010 did a trial commence, and a jury found him guilty of abduction and transporting a minor across state boundaries with intent to engage in sexual activity. He is currently serving a life sentence without any prospect of release.
Barzee admitted guilt for her involvement in the crime, and acknowledged actively taking part in the abduction and captivity. She received a 15-year prison sentence, but secured early release in 2018 – put on parole under federal supervision.
She faced arrest once more in 2025, for reportedly “violating Utah laws governing the movements of registered sex offenders.”
Now aged 38, Elizabeth works as a child safety activist and commentator for ABC News. She campaigns against abstinence-only education, and resides in Utah with her husband and children.
Her experience has prompted numerous non-fiction books, films and series – including some she has written or produced herself.
