Netflix's new documentary 'Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart' was released on January 21, bringing viewers the darkest chapter of Elizabeth Smart's life in 2002. Smart recalls the scene that changed her life forever - she was kidnapped from her bedroom in Salt Lake City. Her kidnapper, Brian David Mitchell, believed he was following God's instructions! Smart was held captive for 9 months. She was repeatedly sexually abused. The documentary highlights the process of finding Smart. It shows the desperate efforts of her family members and investigators. Smart herself also appears in the documentary. She tells how she put this terrible incident behind her and started anew.
The night of the kidnapping
One of the most terrifying parts of the documentary is the account of the night of Smart's abduction. Her younger sister, Mary Catherine, was also in the bedroom that night, the only witness to the experience. "That night Elizabeth and I went to bed together, praying," she says in the documentary. "The next moment, a man was in our bedroom telling Elizabeth that if she screamed, he would kill her. I was completely paralyzed," Mary says.
Smart remembers waking up to find a knife at his neck. "I was scared. I thought, is he going to hurt me? Is he going to kill me? I was hoping my parents would wake up, but no one came," he said
Finally, Mary Catherine mustered up the courage to go to her parents' house and tell them that her sister had been taken. At first, her parents thought Mary was just having a nightmare, but later, they saw a broken screen, indicating that someone had entered the house.
The captured Smart was taken to the woods by Mitchell and his wife, where he was first assured that he would not be killed or raped. Then the physical and mental torture of Smart began. Smart recalled, "I knew something terrible was happening to me. I was crying, I was scared. His words were like, 'I take you to be my wife in the presence of God and his angels.' I screamed no. Then he said, 'If you scream like that again, I will kill you, I will use duct tape to cover your mouth.'"
Smart also said in the documentary, "What Mitchell was doing, using God's name, seemed justified, but basically he loved power. He loved to be in control." Smart was raped several times a day, then she would pray for 45 minutes.
Rescue and new life
About four months later, Smart's sister Mary Catherine realized that someone they knew had kidnapped her sister. With the help of police and the efforts of her family, Smart was rescued on March 12, 2003. "The self-control that Smart showed in her own rescue at the age of 14 is truly remarkable," said Benedict Sanderson, the documentary's director.
Mitchell was convicted of kidnapping and is still serving a life sentence. His wife, Wanda Barzi, also received a 15-year sentence.
Recovery, education and charity work
Smart began life with some physical and psychological scars after her rescue. "I was afraid of men. I felt very shy," she recalls.
But Smart didn't give up. After graduating from high school, he earned a college degree from Brigham Young University. Smart, now 38, lives with his family in Utah. He is married and has three children
Smart also founded the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, which helps victims of sexual violence. She has written two autobiographies. She also gives speeches and inspires others. The documentary's final scene shows Smart regaining her physical and mental strength. The documentary ends with Smart saying, "I am stronger than you think."
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