How The Sister Of A Girl Kidnapped At Age 14 Identified Her Abductor While Reading A Guinness World Records Book

The kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart was eventually broken open in a way few could have predicted, with a Guinness World Records book playing a critical role in the case.

In the summer of 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth was taken from her bedroom at knifepoint in the middle of the night by Brian David Mitchell, who is now serving a life sentence in prison.

Mitchell had previously worked at the Smart family home, which meant he was familiar with the household, yet he was not initially considered a serious suspect by investigators.

This is where Elizabeth’s younger sister, Mary Katherine Smart, became central to the investigation.

Mary Katherine was nine years old at the time and was the only person who witnessed the abduction that night in Salt Lake City. The trauma of the experience left her shaken, and for months she struggled to process what she had seen.

Speaking with broadcaster Diane Sawyer after Elizabeth was safely recovered, Mary Katherine described waking up in their shared bedroom to see a man quietly tapping Elizabeth on the shoulder.

The Smart sisters went through hell together in 2002 Netflix

The man then made Elizabeth get out of bed and put on shoes. Mary Katherine later explained that she was too scared to alert her parents because she feared he might take her as well.

"I thought, you know, be quiet, because if he hears you, he might take you too, and you're the only person who has seen this. I was, like, shaking," she said.

Afterward, Mary Katherine stayed in bed for nearly two hours, having only heard the man’s voice and never seeing his face clearly.

According to the 2006 book In Plain Sight: The Startling Truth Behind the Elizabeth Smart Investigation, local police chief Rick Dinse told reporters at the time: "We may learn more from [Mary Katherine] as time goes on because of the ability to remember and recall a traumatic situation, particularly with a child of her age."

That prediction proved accurate just a few months later, in October 2002.

As shown in the Netflix documentary Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart, Mary Katherine was flipping through the large 2001 edition of the Guinness World Records book when a photo of a muscular woman caught her attention and triggered a sudden realization.

Elizabeth Smart has her younger sister to thank for her safe return Netflix

She immediately told her father, Ed Smart, that she knew who had taken her sister. She identified the man as Emmanuel, whose real name was Brian David Mitchell and who had received help from the family about a year earlier.

Even though Mitchell’s time around the family had been brief, Mary Katherine recognized his voice and connected it to the man who had abducted Elizabeth.

In a later interview on Today, Elizabeth, now married and a mother of three, reflected on her sister’s role, saying: "Had she not remembered who had kidnapped me, who's to say that I would be here today? The police all had their suspects, and my captor I don't even think was on their radar at all. So she is my hero."

Elizabeth also spoke about whether she has discussed her kidnapping with her children, Chloe, Olivia, and James.

"One of the best pieces of advice I was given as far as parenting goes: When your kids start asking questions, that's the right time to start talking about it," she noted. "And honestly, that started way before I was prepared, way before I ever thought it would come up."

"I think my oldest was, like 3 years old when she started asking me questions, like where was I going, what was I doing, why was I doing it. And that was shocking. I was not ready."

"Honestly I'm not sure if I'm still ready. But I would say that opened the door to start having those conversations, and then just as they have grown, I've been able to let that conversation grow as well."