Elizabeth Smart Recalls The Night She Was Abducted At Knifepoint At Just 14 Years Old

Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault which some readers may find distressing.

A survivor from one of the most widely known missing persons cases in the United States has spoken in detail about the night her life changed forever.

Elizabeth Smart was only 14 years old when she was taken from her bedroom in Salt Lake City, Utah, after an intruder entered her home during the night.

Smart was held captive for nine months and repeatedly abused by Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee.

Now, nearly 25 years later, she is revisiting that period of her life in a new Netflix documentary set to release in January.

The series allows the 38-year-old to share her experience in her own words, including the events of that night and how the trauma has followed her into adulthood.

The documentary features interviews with law enforcement officials and members of Smart’s family, including her younger sister Mary Katherine, who witnessed the abduction, as well as her father Ed and uncles Tom and Dave.

It also includes archival footage and material that has never been made public before.

Speaking to Tudum about the project, Smart said she hopes viewers are reminded that healing is possible. She continued: "There will be victims and survivors who watch this, and I hope they realize they're not alone, and that they don't have to be ashamed of what happened to them."

Elizabeth Smart now Netflix

"And I hope that people who watch this can gain compassion and understanding for other families who are going through this."

The night of June 5, 2002, had started out like any other for the eighth grader. She had spent the day finishing end-of-year school activities and preparing for her graduation ceremony the next morning.

Just before midnight, Smart went to sleep in the bed she shared with her younger sister, Mary Katherine, after reading from her book, Ella Enchanted.

She was jolted awake by the sight of a bearded man standing over her, holding a knife against her neck.

Brian David Mitchell Salt Lake County Sheriff's Department/Getty Images

The man, later identified as Brian David Mitchell, warned her that he would kill her if she made any noise.

When Smart asked if he intended to rape and kill her, she said he responded with a chilling answer: "Not yet."

Mitchell then forced her out of the house and led her away into the surrounding mountains.

At a secluded encampment, Smart encountered Mitchell’s wife, Wanda Barzee, who washed her feet and attempted to remove her pajamas, replacing them with a loose robe.

"She said, 'If I can't change it, [Mitchell] is going to come in here and rip the clothes off,'" Smart told People.

Soon after, Mitchell raped her for the first time. Over the months that followed, she was assaulted multiple times a day, leaving her physically injured and emotionally broken.

Mitchell continued to assault and threaten Smart throughout her captivity, repeatedly warning her that resistance or screaming would result in her death.

Barzee encouraged the abuse and humiliation, while Smart remained outwardly submissive as a way to survive and search for any chance to escape.

During this time, Smart began menstruating and lived in constant fear that she would become pregnant.

"When he took me to the spring where we'd collect water, he would hold the cable and basically walk me like a dog," Smart recalled. "I was forced to drink beer after beer until I finally threw up, and he had just left me there face down in my own vomit."

On March 12, 2003, a bystander recognized Smart from an episode of America’s Most Wanted and contacted authorities.

A police officer was able to confirm her identity, bringing her captivity to an end and reuniting her with her family.

Mitchell and Barzee were later charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, and aggravated burglary. In 2011, Mitchell received a life sentence in prison, while Barzee was sentenced to 15 years and released in 2018.

Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart premieres on Netflix on January 21.