More than two decades after Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her Salt Lake City bedroom, she is sharing more details about the experience in Netflix’s documentary Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart.
Us Weekly breaks down everything you need to know about the new documentary, including insight into Smart’s notorious, headline-generating case, why she wanted to tell her story, the doc’s premiere date and more.
What Happened to Elizabeth Smart?
Smart was just 14 years old when she was abducted by Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee from her home in Salt Lake City, Utah, on June 5, 2002. Her disappearance launched a missing-persons case that was covered all around the United States.
She was held captive for about nine months before she was found by police in March 2003. Citizens helped the search by reporting that they’d seen her captors based on a composite sketch that was circulated by the media, according to History.com.
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Smart was eventually returned home to her family, while Mitchell and Barzee were taken into custody.
Mitchell was initially declared mentally unfit to stand trial in July 2005 and then again in December 2006. But he was later ruled competent to stand trial in March 2010. Mitchell was convicted in December 2011 and was sentenced to a lifetime in federal prison.
Meanwhile, Barzee was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison for her involvement in the kidnapping. She was later released in 2018.
What Is ‘Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart’ About?
Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart will feature Smart sharing her side of the abduction experience. The documentary will also include interviews with her family, investigators and those who intimately know the details of the harrowing case.
Additionally, the documentary will include archival footage and never-before-seen material that will give new insight into the months that Smart was held captive by Mitchell and Barzee.
Why Elizabeth Smart Is Ready to Open Up in ‘Kidnapped’
Ahead of the documentary’s premiere, Smart explained to Netflix’s Tudum that she wasn’t initially comfortable sharing her experience as a teenager. However, she now feels ready to open up as an adult.
“After I was rescued, when I first got home, I did not want to talk about what happened with anyone,” she said. “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.”
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Smart added that she hopes victims and survivors “realize they’re not alone” and “that they don’t have to be ashamed of what happened to them” when they watch the documentary. “And I hope that people who watch this can gain compassion and understanding for other families who are going through this,” she added.
“I also hope it brings comfort that there are happy endings — and that even after terrible things happen, you can still have a wonderful life,” Smart said.
When Does ‘Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart’ Premiere?
Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on January 21, 2026.
