Utah, USA
Police in Utah search for 14-year-old
girl, who was kidnapped from her own bedroom
In the state of Utah a search is being conducted for a 14-year-old girl who was kidnapped in Salt Lake City, reported Reuters. At the present time the police are not able to find any trace of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart or her abductor.
The nine-year-old sister of Elizabeth saw how the abductor, who had a pistol, dragged the girl from the house still in her pajamas. As reported, the abductor threatened to kill Elizabeth if her sister raised the alarm, so she kept quiet for several hours and only then reported the incident to the police. According to the sister's description, the abductor was a short white male with short black hair.
The girl's kidnapping shocked the residents of Utah, and several hundred volunteers, which included friends of the Smart family, local residents and Mormon missionaries, were proceeding with the search for the girl. For information leading to her release a 250,000 dollar award was offered. Her photograph was published in newspapers and regularly shown on the news, but these have had no result for the time being.
A police representative said that presently an investigation was at a dead end. Detectives had interrogated people, especially those previously convicted of sexual offenses.
Utah, USA
Kidnapper of 15-year-old American girl
called himself "minister"
Ntv.Ru March 13, 2003
The headline news in the USA today was about the release of a girl kidnapped nine months ago, 15-year-old Elizabeth Smart
As reported by NTV telecommunications company, the story of her kidnaping began July of last year, when the girl disappeared from her own bedroom. The younger sister of Elizabeth, who was in the room at the time of abduction, pretended to be asleep. Later she reported that the abductor threatened her sister with a pistol and ordered her to go peacefully.
The chief suspect is Brian David Mitchell. The Smart family knew the criminal well. He had been hired for doing odd jobs around the house. Mitchell called himself a preacher and preferred to be called by the name Emanuel. The police have not yet managed to find out what the criminal's plan was.
Utah, USA
State attorney does not believe
renegade Mormon's declaration of love for 15 year-old American girl
Lenta.Ru
March 19, 2003
The state attorney said officially of the charges indicting 49-year-old Brian David Mitchell, who calls himself an itinerant Mormon preacher. He is charged in the abduction (with aggravating circumstances) of 15-year-old Elizabeth Smart, sexual assault and burglary, reported the Associated Press.
Besides that, he was charged in an attempt to abduct (also with aggravating circumstances) Elizabeth's sister, who was in the same room with her. These same charges were pressed against his wife, 57-year-old Wanda Barzee, who was called an accomplice in the crime.
"We are not dealing with just a religious zealot, we are dealing with a predatory sex offender," said district attorney David Yocom.
If the court finds them guilty of these charges, they are facing life in prison. The first legal hearing in which Mitchell is participating is planned for Wednesday. The sum of the bail has already been set for the charges, 10 million dollars each.
Details of the abduction were also published on Tuesday. On the night of 5 June 2002 Mitchell got into Elizabeth's bedroom through a window by opening it with the aid of a knife. He made the girl go with him, and he ordered the sister to keep silent by threatening to kill Elizabeth. He took away the girl in her pajamas to the hills four miles from her house and then, threatening her with the knife, undressed and assaulted her. In doing this he was assisted by Barzee.
Mitchell constantly threatened to kill the girl's relatives and conveyed her from place to place. At night he sometimes tied her feet to a tree. In the autumn they crossed over into California, where they stayed until March.
On March 12 the police stopped a car all three were in, and released the girl. At the time of arrest she and the kidnappers were also wearing wigs.
After the arrest Mitchell stated that they had intended to marry the girl, and that he had "revelations from God." During this he called himself Immanuel David Isaiah, and his wife Hephzibah Eladah Isaiah, but the kidnapped girl was shear Jashub Isaiah, or "Remnant who will return."