Title: Empowering Youth: Elizabeth Smart Shares Safety Tips Amid Recent Arrest of Abductor's Partner
Arrest Warrant Issued for Wanda Barzee over Accusations of Sex Offender Registration Violation Related to Elizabeth Smart Case
In an informal chat, kidnap survivor Elizabeth Smart, who endured a harrowing 9-month ordeal at just 14, offers advice on staying safe and spotting "red flags."
Recently, Wanda Barzee, convicted over two decades ago for abducting Smart, was taken into custody for alleged sex offender rule violations. On Thursday, she was apprehended at her Salt Lake City home after reports suggested she had visited parks—places she's prohibited from due to her registered sex offender status.
During her arrest, Barzee reportedly claimed she was following divine commands to visit Liberty Park and enjoy feeding ducks on the benches. Fox 13 Salt Lake City reported that she also admitted having visited Sugar House Park at the Lord's instruction as well.
Under Utah law, sex offenders are barred from entering "protected areas," which encompass public parks. These protective measures are enacted to safeguard public safety and shield vulnerable populations, like children, from potential interaction with sex offenders.
Remember 2002, when Elizabeth Smart was 14 and brutally kidnapped by Brian David Mitchell and his spouse, Wanda Barzee, at knife-point? The duo held her captive for a harrowing nine months, coercing Smart into a polygamous "marriage" and raping her nearly daily. Miraculously, Smart was found wandering through Sandy, a Salt Lake City suburb, with Barzee and Mitchell. Initially too terrified to admit her identity, she eventually came forward.
Barzee was sentenced to 15 years in prison for aggravated kidnapping, a sentence secured through her cooperation with the FBI and Utah's legal system to convict Mitchell, who was given a life sentence. In 2018, Barzee was released, placed under five years of federal supervision, and classified as a sex offender with a mandate not to contact Smart's family.
Post Barzee's recent arrest, Elizabeth Smart's father, Ed, voiced concerns to KUTV, a CBS affiliate, suggesting that while she may not pose a direct threat to his daughter, she still endangers children. "I don't think Wanda is a threat to Elizabeth. Would I want her around kids? Absolutely not. The comment 'God told me to' leaves one with a wide-open excuse to do anything," he said.
Conversely, Barzee's attorney, Scott Williams, expressed confidence that his client was unaware of the restrictions, and emphasized that she poses no threat to anyone.
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Rachel Wolf, a breaking news writer for our website, contributed to this report.
Rachel is a down-to-earth writer with her finger on the pulse of the latest news.
- In a recent conversation, Elizabeth Smart, who was kidnapped at the age of 14 and endured a 9-month ordeal, imparted advice on staying safe and recognizing potential dangers.
- It was reported that Wanda Barzee, convicted for abducting Elizabeth Smart over two decades ago, was arrested for alleged sex offender rule violations in 2025.
- Elizabeth Smart's father, Ed, expressed concerns to KUTV after Barzee's recent arrest, stating that while she may not pose a direct threat to his daughter, she still endangered children.
- Elizabeth Smart, a champion for health-and-wellness, mental-health, sexual-health, and women's health, continues to advocate for general-news and crime-and-justice issues.
- Under Utah law, sex offenders are barred from entering protected areas, such as public parks, to safeguard public safety and shield children from potential interaction.
- Barzee was reportedly found visiting parks, including Liberty Park and Sugar House Park, which are places she is prohibited from due to her registered sex offender status.
