Netflix Releases Documentary 'Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart', Reveals Sad Story of Kidnapping and Captivity

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - The global streaming platform Netflix is ​​again presenting a moving spectacle by releasing a documentary entitled "Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart" on January 21 2026.

This film retells the kidnapping incident of Elizabeth Smart which happened in 2002 and the nine months of her horrific captivity.

Directed by Benedict Sanderson, this 1 hour 31 minute documentary delves in depth into Elizabeth Smart's experiences, including the psychological and emotional impact of the kidnapping.

The film is largely told from Elizabeth Smart's own perspective, focusing on the human and psychological experiences of the victims.

In the early hours of June 5, 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her bedroom. Now she's telling her storyhttps://t.co/oiTxBEMH0L pic.twitter.com/eomhf0YVKH

— Netflix Tudum (@NetflixTudum) December 9, 2025

In the early morning hours of June 5, 2002, Elizabeth Smart, then 14 years old, was kidnapped from her bedroom in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Her kidnapper was Brian David Mitchell, who threatened her with a knife.

Her nine-year-old sister, Mary Katherine, was the only eyewitness to the traumatic incident.

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

During her captivity, Elizabeth experienced repeated sexual abuse and often lacked food.

Mitchell used religious pretexts to justify his actions and threatened to kill Elizabeth and her family if she tried to escape.

Brian David Mitchell, Elizabeth Smart's primary kidnapper, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the horrific crime.

He is currently serving his sentence at the United States Federal Penitentiary, Terre Haute, a high-security federal prison in Indiana.

Wanda Barzee, Mitchell's ex-wife, was also involved in the kidnapping and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

However, he was released early from prison in September 2018 due to an error in calculating the time served.

In May 2025, Barzee was arrested again for violating the terms of his sex offender registration by visiting a park in Salt Lake City.

Elizabeth was finally found on March 12, 2003, walking along the side of the highway with Mitchell and Barzee.

This discovery happened after Mary Katherine Smart, Elizabeth's sister, realized that the voice she heard on the night of the kidnapping was that of Brian David Mitchell, a man who once worked for their family.

Now 38 years old, Elizabeth Smart is married and has three children in Utah.

After her traumatic experience, Elizabeth has dedicated her life to turning trauma into action.

She is the founder of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, an organization that advocates for victims of sexual violence and abuse prevention.

This foundation seeks to bring hope and end the victimization and exploitation of sexual violence through prevention, healing, and advocacy.

The Elizabeth Smart Foundation offers empowerment programs such as 'Smart Defense' and 'Smart Talks' to educate and support survivors of sexual violence and kidnapping.

Elizabeth Smart has also written two books, "My Story" (2013) and "Where There's Hope: Healing, Moving Forward and Never Giving Up" (2018), and is active as a speaker in support of survivors.