A decades-old kidnapping case that captured the nation in the early 2000s has made it to the big screen in Netflix’s new documentary, ‘Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart.’ It was released yesterday, January 21, 2026, and features Elizabeth’s sister, father, various other family members, and detectives who worked the case. It retells the horrifying story of when the 14-year-old girl was taken from her bedroom in Salt Lake City, Utah.
‘Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart’ Documentary
On the morning of June 5, 2002, Elizabeth Smart was abducted. News of her kidnapping spread quickly, igniting an intense, high-profile missing-persons case, one that America had ever seen. The captivating documentary is told in Elizabeth’s own words, with exclusive interviews and never-before-seen materials that walk us through the events. The film outlines the nine months that she was held captive after Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee kidnapped her and her unimaginable rescue at the end.
Elizabeth was not ready to tell her story when she was younger, but as an adult, she is ready to spread the truth in her own words. “After I was rescued, when I first got home, I did not want to talk about what happened with anyone,” she told Tudum.
“And when the trial finally happened, I remember sitting up on the stand, giving these answers, and feeling like there was no context around them. I remember thinking that if all of this was going to be out there anyway, I wanted it to have some meaning and for it to serve a purpose. I wanted to have some ownership over my story. That helped me decide to share it.”
Netflix’s Elizabeth Smart documentary features an interview with her younger sister, Mary Katherine, who witnessed the abduction and played a key role in her rescue. Her father, Ed Smart; her uncles, Dave and Tom Smart; detectives; reporters; and Utah residents who encountered Elizabeth while she was in disguise. Her mother, Lois Smart, refused to be interviewed. “Some members of my family want to leave things in the past. And personally, that’s okay with me. I want to respect their wishes,” Elizabeth explained.
Tudum describes the documentary as “a captivating, investigative retelling of the disturbing 2002 abduction and eventual rescue of Elizabeth Smart.” It is based on Elizabeth’s account of the events that occurred and her unwavering strength to survive captivity. The film features never-before-seen materials and addresses the psychological and emotional impact on Elizabeth and her family.
True Story of Elizabeth Smart
Elizabeth was 14 years old at the time she was held at knife point in the assumed safety of her bedroom, as she was taken away. Her younger sister, Mary Katherine, witnessed the events, and in a state of shock, she froze. Authorities began investigating, but they found nothing suspicious within the family, nor did they have other leads.
It was when Mary Katherine remembered the details of that night that brought the kidnappers to justice, and Elizabeth home. She recalled one of them was called “Emmanuel,” who worked odd jobs for the Smarts. That man was later identified as Brian David Mitchell.
Police delayed releasing a sketch of the man Mary Katherine described, fearing it would scare him away. At the time, Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, were camped out in a remote area of a mountain, forcing Elizabeth to endure sexual abuse and comply with their demands. Elizabeth was close to being rescued in a public Salt Lake City library when a detective approached them, but Mitchell posed as her father and refused to show her face, so the official left.
Three months after Elizabeth’s abduction, they relocated her to a camp outside of San Diego. She feared that going home was unlikely and had to make a choice – one that the documentary explores and describes her dramatic rescue, and her current journey of healing.
Kidnappers in Prison
Barzee pled guilty in 2009 and was sentenced to 15 years in prison the following year. She was released on parole in 2018 and rented an apartment near an elementary school. She was arrested again in 2025 after “allegedly violating the terms of her status as a sex offender,” Netflix said. Mitchell currently sits in prison, as he was sentenced to life after he was convicted of rape, kidnapping, and transporting a minor across state lines “with intent to engage in sexual activity.”
