Better help is professional counselling done securely online right from your own home. Not only is this not a crisis line or self help, it's more affordable than traditional offline counselling and again, the comfort of my own home sign me up. Is it better help dot com, slash crime, junkie, that's better hd, LP, dot com, slash comb, Jackie to join the over one million people who have taken part of their mental health with the help of experience professional thanks to better help, high ground junkies, I'm your host, Ashley flowers and I'm bread and this week's story it's a story that most crime junkies have probably heard before, or at least one that you'll be familiar with. But even if you have heard this one before, even if you think that you know it, it is worth tuning into our version for something very different. In the second half of this episode, it's an episode

a fourteen year old girl who is abducted in the middle of the night from the bedroom. She shares with her sister, the bed she shares with her sister and it rocks her family and her community, an echoes across the country and around the world. The person responsible for her disappearance left behind no clues and no one not detectives, not her family, her friends, no one seemed to be able to make sense of how this sweet shy. Innocent girl found herself the target of the worst kind of predator behind, who was able to keep a little girl

hidden in plain sight. This is the story of Elizabeth Smart. It just before four in the morning on June, fifty two thousand two when Ed Smart, is jolted away his nine year old, daughter, Mary Catherine, who is absolutely frantic saying someone took Elizabeth know it takes at his second

kind of you to shake off the sweep and at first use of what is happening here, but Mary Catherine just says it again. A man came in and took Elizabeth and with a gun. Initially, areas like this camp passively be right, Mary Catherine must have had a bad dream. They're gonna find Elisabeth here some in the house. I mean it. Wasn't that uncommon actually for Elizabeth, who is five years older to get fed up with Mary Katharine's kicking or tossing and turning whatever and find another spot to sleep for the rest of the night, usually the couch but ed checks. The couch and she's not bear any checks all through their Utah home, the living room, the bedrooms, closets bathrooms everywhere and she's. Nowhere to be found and Mary Catherine really doesn't sound. Like a kid waking up from a bad dream, she sounds wide awake, wide, awake and scared, and that's around that

I'm Lois makes a discovery that brings all of the chaos of the last several minutes into sharp focus the kitchen window, someone had cut through the screen of their kitchen window and a side door. Often the kitchen is now unlock, but Ed knew tat. He had lost a door before he went to bed Ed calls nine one one and immediately springs into action, calling family and friends and neighbors, and any one that he can think of who might be able to help find Elizabeth police arrived with it about ten minutes of this call and by the time they get there, the house is already starting to fill up with people ready to help we're talking adds family Lois is family, their friends neighbours like as if they were calling everyone, even people from their church. But the house is a crime scene right, we're please able to get what they needed for, like fiscal, once before people started arriving in disrupting everything, so it is a crime scene. Yes, and this is one

this story where there are conflicting accounts of how this really went down in a two dozen, seventeen, any documentary called Elizabeth, Smart, autobiography police say that adds first calls that morning actually went to family and friends before he called nine on what yeah, but Ed and other members of the smart family say. That's absolutely not the case at definitely called nine when one first either way. According to the book in plain sight, which was actually written by Ed's brother Tom, smart police, don't actually start restricting access to the house until close to seven a m and by that time three hours had passed a time people had been in and out so from a crime scene perspective. This is definitely contaminated sure, but contaminated or not. They are able to piece together at theory about what happened that night banks in a big way to marry. Catherine, sometimes

I too, am an intruder, cut this screen on that kitchen window, the window that is right above the sink they climbed through a tenant opening, walked up to the second level of the house in the girls room, woke up Elizabeth and then walked her right out at some point. They think leaving through that side door in the kitchen, and no one heard any of that. Like no one said oh yeah, I heard like a creek or a bang or footsteps, but I assumed it was something else they know nothing sides, Mary Katharine, who was literally the only one like laying next to Elizabeth? No one heard a sound, so many Catherine, obviously like heard stop at, did you see anything was able to give a description of who she saw anything like that she didn't An awesome look at the person I know, but she is able to provide the police with something she described. Elizabeth abductor as a caucasian man about five foot,

eight and said that he was wearing light, colored clothes and hacked, but not like a ball cap. Some kind of there had that she couldn't really describe, but the other that Mary Catherine says is that the guy's voice sounded vaguely familiar to her. Now she couldn't place it exactly what she thinks that the voice was one that she had heard before, and that particular point is one that police jump on right away because they were already thinking that it had to be someone who knew the smart, or at least who knew the home well enough to know how to get in how to move through easily in the dark, without disturbing a lot of stuff and how to get out without tripping the alarm. We had an alarm. They did now admit that they didn't always said it overnight, because of how often it would go off accidentally, but even if it wasn't like on on all the doors. Still,

beat like pretty loudly that we have this with our alarm system any time when Ireland or any other people may be right, but apparently even that wasn't working on this particular door. On this particular night accord, two annual reporting for CNN. The only reason that door didn't b is because a maddening had slept and silenced the alarm weight. So do please think that a magnet was something done as part of the abduction or was it just a total random coincidence necessarily think it was done intentionally, but it might not be a coincidence either. What was a coincidence was the unlocked kitchen window. This large say they always lock the doors and windows windows before bed, but they decided to leave that wine when open on this night, hoping that it would clear out the lingering smell from potatoes that had accidentally burned on the stove

making dinner earlier that evening, but that slip magna on the door. Honestly that could have just been gum luck. There were several possible exit points out of the house. That night and began He chose this. One police are wondering if there are suspect, knew that that particular doorway sound the alarm, so maybe fear or close friends like someone that was, in the sort yearly circle, YAP and police tend to start their investigations with the people closest. The victim anyway and then kind of work their way out from there, and in this case, police, are definitely considering all the possible options. Like did the family, organized the kidnapping as a way to get cash. Somehow did Elizabeth run away and stage the whole thing did. Adder Lois have enemies who might want to hurt them, but at a low is they give us Hard, no to all of these options that they weren't any kind of financial trouble where they would need to like stage this for money. I get usually use data kidnapping you're, like the money, comes from

I don't know where they would think come Brown we re Elizabeth was definitely not a runaway. She had zero conflict going on at home at school anywhere and they didn't know of a single person who might want to hurt them or Elizabeth, and I mean there's a search going on to write like an organised physical search for Elizabeth you're. Absolutely police think that whoever took Elizabeth took her on foot and likely walked up into the mountains that were right behind the Smart House. So that's where the she'll, ground searches, folk s, the foot, hills and trails and forested mountains near the home. Now talking ground, search by law enforcement, including Kane unit helicopters, not to mention thousands and thousands of volunteers in all terrain vehicles in all types of foot like everything? Everyone came out for this little girl and wall

The search is definitely generated leads for police to follow up on none of them actually hand out. So this whole time, there's almost like to investigations going on wine. Is this physical search for Elizabeth or for clues that might lead to her and the other is this police investigation, which has focused more on trying to figure out who is responsible? Now they are intertwined with her to totally separate questions, and at this point in the investigation, everyone this aspect and there's a period of time where, even though add in lower said, like odors knew. No, no reason. That's when we take her like nothing to do with the family, there's a time that, like media and the public. All the rumours around town really believe that the kidnapping was an insight job. What was reported, the media at the time was at the window. Screen had been cut from the inside of the house, not the outside, which of course makes

immediately go to like this is a stage see my right, but it actually was true or at least not entirely true anyway, and definitely not us. Looking gotten because yes, police decided that there was one a window screen that could only have been cut from the inside of the house, but they said that the person doing that cutting, didn't necessarily need to have been like in the house completely just that they needed to be able to stick their hand inside with the night. With a does it mean that the ruling out family police are systematically questioning everyone close to Elizabeth and one by one ruling them out as suspects at his brow, there's other members at the extended family and so on, and the bigger the circle gets this circle of potential suspects, the harder it becomes. To just question and polygraph everyone who may have had contact with the smarts period,

they need a way to narrow down the suspect, cool, so investigators work with the FBI to create a profile of theirs speck as a way to narrow their search and brick. Can I have you read this to us short, so this is from Tom Smarts book in plain sight quote when it was dark, they they being. The profiles noted that from the outside the home was like a fish ball, with no curtains on the windows and plenty of places for a stalker to hide in the cover of scrub oak. Before the agents left, they came up with a profile of the person who kidnapped Elizabeth and left that profile with the task force. There is thus meant was that this was a sex offence, but the crime was premeditated doctor would have taken Elizabeth to a predetermined place, they believed he would be keeping track of the case through the media. He probably had previous section. Issues and he may have been arrested for sexual offences such as voyeurism end quote that profile

match anyone in the smart circle. Not even this like wider circle that they ve created, which now fluids like their church community, even people living in their subdivision. So they start to look at another potential circle. You see the Smart House, relatively new, and there had been tons of finnish work happening in the six years since and according to a two thousand, sixteen SALT Lake City Weekly story by Coolby Frazier. During that time, at least sixty tradespeople Contractors and handymen had been in and out of the house working on different projects and someone who worked on the house hardly know that decides I hadn't alarm that didn't work now dimension knowing the ladder the house as well as the slept all of those sort of detail. Exactly I mean ice.

Be narrowed their list, but even this list isn't super small and, worse still talking about at least sixty people. That's not nothing, but it is a place to start focusing on this list. The handyman less does they called it. They find out the subcontractors had been in there for a couple of days, maybe like a week or two, but there were others who had spent months even close to it, we're working inside and outside the Smart House, which is more than enough time to get super familiar with the physical space. But also long enough to get to know at an Lois and, more importantly, their children who contain.

To live there wall, these renovation work going on, and it doesn't take investigators long to whittle their list of sixty plus potential suspects down to just one name. This episode is made possible by better help. You ve got the swedish message from one of you recently saying. Thank you for promoting this service. It has been a tough year for all of us. I know I personally started counselling this year in it has saved me- and I love hearing from all of you about how your taking care of your mental, how it can be really hard just knowing

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help dot com flash cringing, that's better help each e lp enjoying the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of an experienced professional. In fact, so many people have been using better help that their recruiting additional councillors in all fifty states. There is a special offer for prime junkie listeners. You can get ten percent off your first month at better help. Dot com, Slash Craig Genji. The handyman, whose name immediately sticks out two investigators when they start to broaden their search for suspects, is Richard Wright, see Richard had worked at and lowest his house for eight months back in the first half of two thousand one up until almost exactly a year before Elizabeth disappeared, his name had come up several times.

From several different people and add, remembers him well. He says Richard was a good worker who came recommended by a friend and according to comments made in the SALT Lake City, weekly peace. He was incredibly friendly to the kids So none of that is really raising, alarms from me, but that usually means that you have a huge and then are but or something coming up. Fears all is back, and in this case it's a long criminal record. In fact, back when he was working for the smart, like I guess it's like a year ago, he was actually out of prison on parole. Oh, do we know what he was in prison for it was for attempted. Aside and felony robbery. Oh yeah, I see those red flags now, according to Tom Smarts book, would it have

when is Richard had actually returned a fire on a police officer, while he was attempting to rob Pharmacy in nineteen eighty three, but that's just one conviction guy has a rapture as long as your arm, like I mean decades in and out of prison and he served, only three and a half years in all lies the time that he spent on parole. Which he broke every single time and, like I said he was on parole when he was working at the Smart House the year before, but added lowest, didn't know that they knew him as this easygoing likeable handyman, at least until they noticed a few things had gone missing from their house, including a sixteen hundred dollar bracelet that belonged to Lois and said that he confronted Richard at the time and he died having anything to do with it. But I could never trust him again. So that was the end them working together is

thing in his criminal history that fits the FDA profile. Like they suggested that it was actually motivated crime. Anything like that knows nothing like that, but according to that two thousand three documentary on which its title, the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart, this march weren't, the only family who had set, go missing after Richard Work on their home. In all those cases, police thought richer was probably casing. The house while he was there working on them during the day and then he would break in overnight to steal whatever stuff here. Richard already knew the Smart House. So I think what everyone's thinking is that maybe this wasn't sexually motivated after all, what if he was there to steal a few things will like them for money or whatever and Elizabeth caught him like she would for sure recognize him from the many many months. The heat spent in our house and the Parole Board had very clearly told hand that one more violation would send him back to prison for light, so

Potentially Elizabeth was more like collateral damage right, that's exactly what their thinking and honestly Richard takes a lot of boxes for police like criminal history check and Emma that fits is past. Behaviour check knows the name. Heard. The houses in the smart family, including Elizabeth Check, check chap so on June. Fourteen now, nine days after Elizabeth Abduction, police arrest, Richard now not for kidnapping, but for roll violation. Now this is a technicality real. They're trying to get anything to really get him into custody and behind bars, while they find physical evidence to add to this like mountain of circumstantial evidence that keeps piling up, they're looking for something that for sure connects them to Elizabeth disappearance. The circumstantial evidence that they have includes oh

a thousand miles he could, on his cheek between May twenty eight in June, a that he can't or won't account for an when police search, his property. They find not only Lois is missing bracelet, but also this Beige Gulf hat that sort of matched the description of what Mary Catherine said. They kidnapper was wearing that night. Remember that had that she was sought baseball habits and indifferent, yeah yeah, but even in custody, even while he's being grilled for hours and hours by SALT Lake City Police, Richard denies having anything to do with Elizabeth disappearance. He was held with his wife all night. She back them up, saying that he was next to her embed. During the time Elizabeth was abducted and he's adamant so adamant that he actually agrees to a polygraph. He agrees to give dna and blood samples. Anything to help fear his name, I mean we're.

Well the fact that the problem with a crime scene, but was there actually any evidence to compared to other stuff that Richard is providing like physical proof that he was to go, you cross the window and objected Elizabeth you. So there was some physical evidence at the scene, namely there was a partial palmprint on the window frame, a fingerprint on the door handle and another partial fingerprint on the bedpost. Now all of this is in a little bit and Mary Catherine's rule women. Initially collected. All this police were able to determine that the fingerprint left on the door handle matched the one on the bed post, but they are able to figure out who they belong to but for sure not richer. Oh yeah yeah detested Richard against this and it doesn't belong to Richard. But this isn't enough for police to think that big the wrong guy in their minds. They're kind of like will so what those could have been left by anybody.

I mean it would have been nice to be able to connect Richard back to the crime scene with fingerprints. I think that would have like bolstered their case by the problem with fingerprints and what police at the time was. We can't even say for sure when these prints were left and we can't They prefer they were left by her kidnapper remembered naming they had contractors coming in and out all the time I shall say even someone who assembled the bad or move the bed in like there's a lot of people who could have come in contact with this bed exact. I had nothing to do with that's exactly and the only way to who they belong to is literally take print. Every wine on you know in all those different circles. We talk about that. That's gonna take so much time to rule out everyone and figure out what they me so in them, time, there's still sure that they ve got their data. Need to lay on him a little bit longer dial up the pressure a little bit higher and their convinced that he's gonna crack. So they come back

anything that all that makes life tolerable for him in prison, so he gets no visits, not even with his wife and step son no haircuts, no shaves, no hot water, no hot meal no time outside in the yard, and they ve got Richard spending twenty three hours a day in a cell alone and according to report, by Michael ready for prison legal news. Any time he's out of solitary confinement. He is in shackles and wearing a whole. I mean. Is that even legal? I don't know when I was reading about this. I was like this is straight up: psychological torture, physical torture, no have meals, no hot shower the hood over your head. I think how we all have felt in quarantine. I think any person would crack one thousand percent, so we obviously like you said they would crack they're trying to smoke a sky out doesn't work, it does and I mean not yet anyway, but in their minds

but they don't need a confession, necessarily because, as all this is going on, there is a grand jury convening in SALT Lake City to look at riches potential involvement in Elisabeth kidnapping, so they're really hoping that will at least be able to press charges and take him to court whether he gives them anything. Help or not, but no matter what richer isn't budging, even with all of this psychological, more fair that they are waging on him. I mean when I look at this and when you think about what we know about coerced confessions, I am shocked but he didn't break. I am shocked that what they are doing is legal remained yoke. Not arrested for Elizabeth disappearance. He's arrest you for April role. Vilely shall make out. I honestly, I kind of forgot. Not until you just suddenly. This is RO violation. This is it's scary, that debt her authority can do this and and its legal question mark I mean

I can only imagine that in that position I would have cracked as soon as they say and took a harder to be completely honest, forever go, and when you think about that, how with a head change this stuff, why my God, because he doesn't cracky just keep saying I am not the guy- I am not the guy, being is members of the smart family aren't sold that Richard is thereby One person in particular Mary Katharine, who mind you is the only witness to Elizabeth kidnapping. She is the one who saw someone take Elizabeth G literally said Richards, not the guy wasn't his face. It wasn't his voice that she heard and they're just like discounting that Wolfram polices person

active, they're kind of thinking as Mary Catherine is terrified little girl who saw a man's face or things she saw Amiens face any way in the middle of the night in the dark plus like the idea of eye. Witness statements always be, Totally credible Yankee, like you count on them and Richards isn't easy fit for them. He is a career cry when all who would know enough to disguise his voice, maybe to protect his identity, so whether She confirms him as the guy doesn't matter to them. I mean yes, it would be great just like if those fingerprints match stubby gray to be more but bonus check mark, but to then it does matter. This is their guy, or at least it was looking that way- until the morning of July, twenty fourth, nearly two months into their investigation? That's when SALT Lake City police get up

hall from a local sheriff's office. There has been another attempted kidnapping what another cut screen another little girl- and she was other member of Elizabeth Film. What no? Yes, what police learn is that early that morning around three- I am Elizabeth. Nineteen year old cousin Jessica woke to the sound of a picture falling off the dresser just under her bedroom window and when she loved she's saw something or someone trying to cut through the window screen now at the time she screamed and her dad came right but whoever had been trying to get in thought away now. The thing about this is the family doesn't think that Jessica was the target because she had We recently started sleeping in that room in his book. Tom Smart says that the better

had belonged to Jessica's fourteen year old sister, Libya up until just recently, when the two of them switched interest thing. Lee Olivia was too for close to her cousin elizabetta, like Alex Stone and Emily Friedman reported for ABC that the two were considered best friends, time, so the wheel could never is still out there and coming after more young girls in the same family. What that's? What the smart family and a handful of investigators are starting to think by the SALT Lake City police Is there not so sure they think that the attempted breaking at Olivias was probably just a copycat cry? Maybe someday her kids, who knew Elizabeth Cousin, lived there and decided to Paul what would be like the most evil.

And ever yeah. That is truly truly devious an evil give it here's the thing. If it was a prank, it would have had to have been pulled by someone very close to the investigation, because the crime seems almost. I tend to call I'm, U Police, never, release all the details in open investigation. We know that- and this is true of this one. So very few people knew, for instance, that the kid never had gone into the house by propping up its share outside the smarts kitchen window and yet at both crying scenes there's a chair against the house. There's a cut window screen. All of it was just virtually identical of yours, my kids, I mean what are the odds

but police are confident that they have their guy in custody, and so they refuse to let this hiccup take them off course, but then, on August, twenty seven investigators get some news that Knox wind right out of their sales. Earlier that day, just after a court appearance, there only suspect Richard Greasy had collapsed in here SALT Lake City, jail cell. He was rushed to the hospital where he had surgery to try relieve pressure and bleeding in his brain. But after three days in a coma doctors told his wife and step son and the cops who never left his bedside, that he would never wake up and he die in the hospital on August. Thirty to say that this is a blow to police investigation would have been a huge

understatement Richard was their investigation and now, from their perspective they might need for no what happened to Elizabeth, where she is or if she's even still alive, but for the smart and for the handful of investigators, who never quite felt the kidnapping shoe fit for rich. This is finally a chance to shift the focus of the investigation on two other options on two other potential suspects, but to the have any other options or potential suspects. I mean there were other persons of interest. Really early on in the investigation, mostly based on tips that came in about interactions. People thought Elizabeth. Might have had in the days before she disappeared or even strange cars in the neighborhood. That kind of thing, but they keep tracking those people down and just ruling them out and despite a two hundred fifty pounds,

and all reward for information leading to Elizabeth, safe return. There isn't much coming, in and low with any other five children. Their lives have pretty much been on hold all this time, just stuck in this kind of horrible heartbreaking never ending limbo. Can imagine so, as summer turns to fall, the family is forced to start thinking about the fact that they might never see Elizabeth again

And that's kind of where things are on October, twelfth four months after Elizabeth disappearance when Mary Katharine walks into her parents bedroom one evening out of nowhere and says I know who took Elizabeth. This episode was made possible by imperfect food every year billions of pounds of food go to waste, often because it just doesn't live up to the strict cosmetic standards of grocery stores. Do you wish there is a way to prevent all that waste? Well, imperfect foods is on a mission to re grocery delivery for a kinder, less wasteful world. They deliver sustainable, affordable groceries, including produce quality, protein eggs and dairy and pantry stable

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Mary Catherine tells her parents, it was in manual we what a manual who coup was a manual will. That's add and lowest are wondering to at least for the first minute, but then- slowly. A memory starts to come to that Mary Kathryn is talking about this man, this street creature lowest the kids I run into downtown one day. He said that he'd recently, lost his job. He was looking for work and lowest was like actually know. We ve got a lot of work going on at our have ascend years this guy who's down on his luck. So she gave him a couple of dollars and told him to call edge talk about coming to work at their house, which he did a manual had only been there one day, not even a whole day, actually just a few hours, he had done some yard work and help at fixed skylight or something and the plans have him back the next day, but he just didn't.

Show up, and that was the last that they saw or heard about him or even when I thought about him. So the fact that Mary Catherine remembers Hin at all it just gonna, be worse still he but like she were members his name She remembers the backpack that he was carrying. She remembers his boys and she says that is the same boys that she heard in her room. The night her sister was I mean as someone with a kind of bizarre memory forming brain. I get this but also have to wonder what happened that jogged for memory. Nothing. I mean that wild part about the human brain. Yet she was reading a book. She was reading the Guinness Book of world records of all things and issues like looking at this random picture of a strong woman staring back at her from the page and she said suddenly was just there like popped backup wherever it was hiding in her brain and she made the connection at the time

like they go forward to police about this police make a point not to sort of like over question Mary. Catherine, during their investigation, because they didn't want to inadvertently dis. Your overwrite a memory and they too add in low ways that this kind of thing might in that out of nowhere. She might just remember, and they couldn't poor said they just had to be patient, and it would still. It must be a pretty wild thing to hear that she has like not only a name but specific about what he looked like absolutely and to be honest and lowest, are sort of I mean they're night unsure about the whole thing like could marry Catherine be Miss. Remembering remember I mean this guy was only ever at their house one time and that one times

over a year before he was like in and for only a couple of hours. You didn't even think of him when he was even giving police like the name of the people who had been like that contracting handyman circle for renovation, like that's how far away this guy was from their memory and beyond There are so many things about Emmanuel that make him seem like such an unlikely suspect. What do you mean the big one is that when he met the family the year before he was actually homeless. He said that he went around the shelters preaching as a way to help people, so if he has Elizabeth like where would we be keeping her and also what was his motive He didn't have any real connection to the family. Nothing bad happening. No fights are falling out just that one totally random, completely uneventful day working at the house as men just ghosting via there's no ransom demand after Elizabeth went missing, so he's looking for money, it just wasn't: adding up for police there now

thinking that this Emmanuel guy is looking like a strong suspect, and while they do us an officer literally one officer to try and track him down that one officer is up against a beast of a task. They mean they no disguise real name. There a manual, isn't it and he has no fixed a dress mean, but do they have a sketch or something like at least based on Mary Katharine's memory. They do produce a sketch, but it's not Chile, based on merit Catherine memory. It's based on ads, and this march of course, are super keen to release it to the public and see if anyone can identify the guy bags, the police don't want to point out well, they say that their worried about driving in manual underground by going hard with the information publicly, but in his book Tom Smart talks about how the overwhelming majority of police feel like they had the right they all along, like they already had him. Richard was their guy and

thing else. It might just be a waste of time and there are thinking that leasing information about a manual will only. Jeopardize the case that apparently they were still trying to make against richer, so the smarts weight and they weights, and they wait some more. The smart celebrate Elizabeth fifteenth birthday without her. They celebrate Christmas without her and they were with bated breath every time that they hear remains, have been discovered. And around the SALT Lake Area and they breathe a sigh of relief every time they here, it's not Elizabeth. Finally, on February third, two thousand three: nearly eight months after Elizabeth was taken from her bed, the smarts decide enough is enough and they just released the sketch themselves.

Edit lowest, tell reporters about a manual how he wore genes and a workshop was clean. Shaven soft spoken talked about the Bible. While he worked but offered no real information about himself. They also mentioned that he was a street creature and that he told them that he travelled from place to place aligned you'd thing a development like this would just rip through the news media like while you hire, but that's actually not what happened the locals lake City media, covered the story and some of them ran the composite, but the news did it make it out of Utah, really not yet anyway, but then, two weeks later, an update on Elizabeth case ran on you know, One of our very favour chose Oji America's most wanted and, on that day included the composite sketch

and here I want to show you what people saw on that broadcast and they didn't just give us a quick description it mosaic caucasian man, maybe, unlike his forty two fifty's, Harris shorts. May you of it wavy Curly some wine time based clean, shaven there's a pretty problem. Nose and a rather like angular or thin face like his was a carpet blocking you tell ya, like very illegal rectangular head you. Well, I don't know if his cheek bones are very prominent or his cheeks are sunk in, but there's definitely something like that. Another thing that seeks to me about this sketches his eyebrows and please sit like really low on his forehead of you're, like looking straight on. They are just over his eyes. Yeah yeah, and his eyes are like, maybe They colored. I can only tell you a black and white sketch, so I mean who really knows so. This goes out across the country on America's most

wanted and almost right away. The phone starts ringing at the SALT Lake City Police Department on the other end, a woman named LISA and she's calling to say that the man in the picture the man police are looking for, can only be one dying, her brother, Brian David Mitchell, and when police search their system for Brian David Mitchell. What they find is that first of all, the guy had been arrested not once but twice during the time Elizabeth has been missing. One yet once in SALT Lake in September, two thousand to four shoplifting and then again in February, two thousand three in California, this time for breaking into a church but that's actually not even the wildest part of all of this, because right there in the police file is a picture of Brian David Mitchell and they are shocked at what

They see, let me send it to you along with another. One is wealth like around the same time frame and in the photo from when he was arrested. He's like sitting on this shop floor, and then in the second one he's walking down the street and get a better sense of of what he looked like. Oh I, can you believe that this is the same guy from that composite its bright metallic? He looks nothing like it fair he's, also wearing like long robes literally to his Ngos, with these big long, baggy sleeves, where's is like the polo from the composite. He has huge thick beer, he has long hair and his ring that it looks like a bizarre, quite a beanie hot. It reminds me of like, like a Christmas story. Scrooge like night cap sort of heart like it may be. The kind of half Mary Catherine would know is a happened not be able to see like what kind list.

Or even struggling to say what kind of how you called. I say I was really describe it. Nine old Mary Catherine definitely would probably struggle with having it one thousand president. So yet, looking at this, like no wonder police we're having a hard time tracking down in the annual from the sketch that they may, because this totally different- it's not it's this is not the man you were looking for right according to rule, article in the Sunday morning, Harold Brine David Mitchell, was only clean, shaven and wearing jeans, and a workshop for like this very brief period of time, specifically in the months after September eleven when those attacks happened because some comments, yet the people are making about him, looking like Osama Bin Lot it. On the other hand, this current version of a manual with the hair and beard and the robes had actually become kind of a fixture insult.

City, everyone knew this guy. They called him the Jesus man and he was always downtown preaching on the street and asking for money like before Elizabeth was taken, o girl, I mean before she was taken an after taken SALT Lake City. Is this guy's home base, and not only that, but the last few times been seen he's had to women with him. The women never showed their faces. They wore veils that covered everything but their eyes and then never spoke, he always introduced. One is his wife and the other is his daughter. Weight

and Elizabeth was right there and solidarity the entire time and no one recognized her well, I'm there were definitely people who thought they recognized her. I mean this one time in particular, police got a call from the public library from someone saying that there was a young woman who could be Elizabeth, smart. They actually send a detective down and of ass. He walked right up to this person wearing long robes and avail covering her face and said: are you Elizabeth Smart, but these know. Her name was Augustine Marshal and the man refused to allow her to lift her veil for religious reasons, and this like a total mind F, because how hard can you push when it comes to respecting someone's religious beliefs? I raise away inside the Hughes, asked one time and moved on they like questioned and intend to keep pushing, would eventually the detective who was their left with nothing else they could do in that moment YAP, and that was the last time

Anyone remember seeing that Jesus Man and his wife and daughter that at this point was a month ago, when the updated photo of a manual is blasted out by America's most wanted in MID February. They say that it's possible. He went somewhere warmer to wait the wind months. Maybe Florida or taxes are Arizona, so our police sure since their guy. Like is there anything else about Brian David Mitchell? That makes please think that he is the one who might have kidnapped was as well. There was this other called. It came, to police. Shortly after the Americas most wanted episode, and this one was I'm a woman named Debbie Debbie was I in Mitchell's second wife. She had in him or anyone in his family for a long time and like we're talking eighteen years, and that was like, since there urge ended, but Brian, Mitchell as she describes, is a guy not only terrorized and abuse her during their marriage bite a guy who sexually abused.

Her children as well. I got based on his history. Brian is much closer to the profile. The F b I prepared in the early days of the investigation than any one thing And while it is absolutely horrifying for Elizabeth Family to think that she may have been kidnapped by sexual predator, his Ex wife Debbie tells them something else. She says Brian is a molester, but he is not a killer and if he took Elizabeth she's, probably still alive and then on March, twelve two thousand, three not one, but two calls come into nine one one virtually at the same time, both of them saying a manual is here and he has Elizabeth The Jesus man and the two women are just one came down the side of the road they're not in their usual robes and veils anymore there now in genes and shirts, but honestly by this time

it wouldn't have mattered what they were wearing, because the residents of Utah would recognize them anywhere it only, takes two minutes for the nearest officer to arrive on the scene with more right behind our. She asked this guy that they think is a manual. What's your name, he says that his name is Peter, marshal, and he introduced his wife Juliet and their Gotter Augustine. The first officer asked man for idea. He says he doesn't have one. He says that he doesn't have anything because he does need any worldly possessions because they are messengers of God Then they asked this girl what her name is, and she says that she's his daughter, Augustine an Marshall but they're, not letting him off the hook These people aren't going anywhere until they can prove this. For short, the girl that there too. Into is wearing this grayish old wig, and these dark sunglasses like nothing. I think they were

Spangled she is clearly in some kind of disguise here, my and when they ask her to take offer sunglasses, she says no, she needs them because she has had some kind of I surgery so what they do. Finally is that the actually separate her from the other two people and they ask her again? Who are you and she says- I know you think I'm that girl who ran away but I'm night, but the officers can see through it, they can see how anxious this girl is. One of the officers who was there that day says a bigger, literally see her heart pounding through her clothes, oh my god, so they kept pushing. They ask her point blank if she's Elizabeth and they tell her that her family has never stop looking for her, that they want her to come home. Everyone wants her home and eventual

Finally, the girl says if thou say which they don't even really understand, but what they know is that it's not a no, which means its close enough. So Did you take her home not right away so at first they load her into the back of a squad, car and start driving toward the nearest station, but they already had it on the phone saying get to the police station right away, though don't tell him why within a few minutes, he arrives and that's when everyone fly, who gets the news that tape waiting for the news that even hoping for and praying for, Elizabeth Smart is home when an and lowest are finally reunited with their daughter. That's when the details of what really happened start to come out. If you followed, trials of Brain David Mitchell and wander bar z. If you ve heard Elizabeth speak or seen

any interviews, she's done if you ve read her book or seen any of the door you memories made about her light than you'll know about the nightmare she endoored at the hands of her doctors and the strength and resilient. She showed not only during that time, but in the nearly twenty years since for safe return. So Could tell you Elizabeth story Ike tell you the things that were actually going on. While we all made assumptions are in the public, but you know who you and even better job than me. Elizabeth herself. Who is worrying. It made me think. Were people. Remember me. Well, I just because, another name from the past. That sounds familiar, that nobody really knows how they know that name or or maybe they.

Remember what happened, but they just give up hope. She's upstairs brought few by being over end after so many months. Breaking palm of friend mentioned to me that she couldn't even imagine going back to ring hands when just go back to your office, full time- and I said real, like I, don't even know what those are anymore, because even before the world went pretty bonkers, I was worrying exclusively better branded respite Europeans when I needed some professional but didn't want to be uncomfortable. I assume their classic transparent yoke of hands, as well as their yoga Denham, which our genes that look like legit genes but feel secure.

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percent off. When Elizabeth is finally home, the story she tells police into her parents is one that is truly unforgettable. I had the opportunity to hear at first hand when I spoke with her and she just so candid, and so real about what was truly leaving most traumatic experience and, honestly, I'm still processing it honestly it started off just like every other night. I mean there is nothing differ, about it. You know we were bad everything was normal and The next thing I remember was hearing a voice and it was a man's voice and I didn't recognize it and I didn't think it could be real big Van weren't allowed in my bedroom and sighed and immediately respond. I thought I just had to be permitted because hoo hoo,

that sums gonna break into their home in the middle of the night and say I have Is that your neck don't make a sound, get up and come with me my connection, feel something. Gwen across my neck. I could feel someone's hand on my arm trend, pull me out of bed, and I remember, opened my eyes and sure enough. There was this dark figure standing over me and for the first time in my life I mean I was truly terrified. He took me out I bet he took me out through my house such my backyard. Our backyard, wasn't fans does just open. It ran into the neighbors, your I ran into a vacant law. We went through the vacant law. There are some bushes. He pushed me down behind the bushes. I remember some headlights coming down the street. I merely started thinking this. Is the getaway car he's gonna. Take me the getaway car. I never eat away. No one's ever gonna find me, but this car

Didn't stop and actually pastor in front of us, but I remember seeing the word police written alongside the car and really have the second cycle is, could be fine. Everything can be fine, but it didn't stop kept going and is the news it was around the corner. He had me right. Across the street and up into the mountains behind my home, I didn't. Actually realise how far we had run up into the mountains tell much later, goes so painful, the genuine and fear that I just in time almost seemed to stop by The sky was starting to get lighter and the sun was coming up right as we talked over the top. But this mountain and started down the other side on the way. There. He mentioned that he had his wife

waiting for us and so for a second I like all like, maybe they just really wanted a child, or maybe they had a child and she passed away, and I would be about her age or maybe I look like her or like mine, kind of which you a nice place, then the reality in the middle. The trees, the standard trees, there's a tense Harrison carpet lying on the ground. This woman walked out she draft difference. She looks dear friend, then really anyone I've ever seen before, and she came up to me and she hug me, and she brought me inside of the tent, where she proceeded to start to undress me. An sponge bade me that woman, of course was Wanda BAR is easy, and Elizabeth said that it was clear. Her right away with that first hugged that had nothing to do with comfort and everything to do with control. That Wanda was not going

be any kind of mother figure, any kind of ally that she was just as much a player in this nightmare ass, her husband that first morning, Brian performed what he called a sea, the ceremony. It said that you know we were now married. We were now man and wife. Every reason every excuse that I had given him as to why this was an ok, why this wasn't legal. He came back and he keeps saying it's time to consummate our marriage. Then the thought just hit me he's could have read me: What it means he's going to write me and those I think I can do about it. There's nothing there, stop him like he's a man is bigger than me is stronger than me. Literally cannot save myself right now I mean it was. It was terrifying, is horrific and did did

Allow me to grow up in a span of ours. I mean I've heard the word rake before, but it always seemed like such her far away distant word. It didn't really see. Might that was a word that would ever be a part of my life or the life of any one that I knew because nobody ever talk about it I mean I'd heard on the news, but TAT. The NEWS: was that really real? like a thing victim, would tell you that its devastating on pretty every level like it was awful. I remember just then came if this is what sexes for I never will have sex ever again, I never one this happened to me ever again. It would just felt like emotionally so destructive that I could not protect myself now grow up in a very concise, that is very true.

Jim Community, and there had always been a lot of emphasis put on remaining. You remain Impure remaining chased remaining a virgin and how you get married. There was stating, and it made me genuine, really feel that if my parents knew what had happened to me, that they would they wouldn't want me and they would just be like, while as unfortunate, This is no. We had six kids, that's a lot of kids! Now will only have five and five kids that still of kittens one of my survival mechanisms for just shutting down was just doing They told me because I just always felt like if I didn't, I would be punished for the new they were capable of it. I just you know I didn't fight back, I just what they said, because I wanted to survive and I I didn't want them-

hurt me more than they already had. And I don't want them to kill me for the first few minds, Brian and wandered CAT Elizabeth from escaping by changing her to a tree. The needed that physical restraint in the early days to keep her in one place, while they established a stronger one, a psychological one. So what my captors dead is. Right from the word go day. Away everything that was important everything that was like a pillar in my life. I mean they kidnapped me away from my home, so they took away my my family they took away. My security. They took away my friends, my school. They took away all my freedoms, Minos fourteen when they could not me drink alcohol. In my life, when they first started drinking alcohol back into the camp, they would withhold food from me until I drank what they told me

dream coming and I remember A silly is that sounds now. I went through the DARE programme and fifth grade and we'd all made our fifth grade pledge not to abuse drugs or alcohol, and in my mind I was think, I'm pretty my pledge, which make it that was just silly like who cares about the linkages felt like I, I couldn't keep any pledge. Or any promise to anyone or to myself, and that it I wanted to survive. I just I just had to be willing to just honestly, like Google, who I was and do what they wanted? Otherwise I wasn't gonna make it. It was always a battle of emotion when it felt like I was so close and yet so far because on one hand I did, I did just wanna scream out- and I want to say I'm here come in rescue me the same time. I was dealing with this enormous level of fear where I felt like if I may something I would be responsible for the death of someone else. In my captors they wouldn't

for of let anyone might help me they wouldn't they would have killed me for that happened and they would have killed anyone they had to before. That happened I mean I remember at one point hearing my actually being called as searchers we're out searching for me, and I mean he was holding on to me and he had his knife in his hand, and he said it'll be your fault. If anyone Since this camp does not only will you die by you will first one we kill whoever enters into this camp and He had his knife right, they're, the same nice that you'd kidnap me with. I mean it felt there the real and I knew he was capable of evil because I had cried and I beg- and I had pleaded with him to not rape me. You don't know make me go naked to not force me to do things I didn't want to do, and just none of it had ever affected him. So I knew he was capable of evil and I knew that he would do whatever he

to do to protect what he wanted, but Ass time went on. You know they always say to me, but if you ever do anything we don't want you to do. Will kill you visual they wouldn't want you. Dare we don't tell you we will family and that felt one hundred percent believable because they had already broken into my home. You know the place tat I thought was most if and most secure, and they are kidnapped me known it. Let them Elizabeth captors would say that what they were doing must be endorsed by God or else. Why would you Let it happen? How else would they remain protected, even with police driving pass and third parties within earshot? How else where they able to walk around in SALT Lake City in public and knocking? I used to bring newspaper articles or missing fires from down and SALT Lake back to this heading,

How sad, indeed show them? Maybe I got all salt lake is covered in blue ribbons and light blue balloons and is missing. Fires are on every tree and every telephone pool and in those windows of every house, in every every sharp, every grocery store their everywhere, but no one will ever find you, because I have you and everything he did just seem to confirm. That I mean I remember you always circle back once again to religion and he say well, you know, God is protecting us. They won't find us There were moments during Elisabeth nine months in captivity when she came so close to being found. We talked about the search teams and the helicopters in the first part of this story, and even that day in the public library, when someone called in a tip about someone who looked like a bit

that really was her. I remember wonderful see her hand just clamping down on my leg as this homicide detective, questioning my my captors? There was like that physical reminder was almost like being kitten all over again and reminded me what my chapters were capable of and what they what they would do. The link They will go to make sure that I wasn't rescued The viruses shootin. She didn't say anything because I had been told that I was not allowed to speak out in public and so to make. It seem like as part of our religion. Brien Mitchell also told Wanda piracy that she could not speak out in public and, of course she supported that because, ultimately, he told her what she wanted to hear and he told especially was so she went along with him,

so she would speak out. That was only him speaking for both of us, I think legend has always been a sensitive topic and I think Firstly, then it was. It was a very sensitive topic in that really any form of extremism was. Just avoided and my after. I think he knew that and he capitalized on that. So he just kept saying this is part of my religion. This is my daughter. This is my wife. No, I cannot unveil her. I cannot show you her face. That would be again our religion and the only people that will ever see her face. Are me her father and her future husband and you are neither and that would be violating her if british, shall show you her face so I'm just kept on Cameron that point across

and finally the police officer. I mean he was convinced and he turned around and you walk away and it was. It was devastating It felt like I was so close. And then to see him just turn around and walk away. I knew that I and be led out in public again. They already planned to leave. You taught, but this both call in the library really jumped up the urgency these starting making lions to leave salt lake and head to Southern California. Now, if you're familiar with SALT Lake City, You tell you know it's synonymous with the church of Jesus Christ. Of latter day, Saints Rhine David Mitchell considered himself to be a fundamentalist with the Mormon fate, but his beliefs were room in an earlier time, a time when polygamy was endorsed by the church, Brien called himself a profit and where,

by the name, a manual his wife wander bar z. He called her Hepzibah, the mother of Zion Elizabeth, who became Augustine to them, was the first of what day plan to be seven young Y got during the time Ireland, two dozen ten, according to reporting by Jennifer Donor for NBC News dot com wanders said they had received a commandment from God to find in kidnapped girls between aged ten, fourteen years old, which was a convenient commandment, considering that all these attempts to convince grow Women to become his wives had all faced him. It was brain David Mitchell who attempted to kidnap Elizabeth Cousin Olivia too, like or their other attempts. Yes, it would actually was hampered. To break into Elizabeth Cousins House. This was not a bad prank by someone they probably should have paid, we're attention to it and she was

The only target there had been many girls stalked and followed both before and again after Elizabeth was adopted. That was it part of the reason why they went to California, he thought he'd had better luck with his mission. To Kidnapped young girls there and and once even we went to San Diego, he took me. They found a new because they take up. I'd river bad and had me there, and I was only let out I mean- maybe once a week, maybe once every other week, and it was always with there. I was never let alone. I was never left alone ever during the entire nine months setting. There is always one of up with me: if not both of em

while we were in California, my captors, they actually did try to kidnap another girl, thank goodness they were not successful in it, and so they started say. While California is clearly not the place for you to go to kidnap a girl, we need to go somewhere else and they were talking about these big cities like New York in boston- and I remember thinking- oh my goodness like no one has ever gonna recognize me there. No one found me in Utah knows found me in California. I mean if I ever want to be rescued than I need. I remember chance of rescue is, is to get them, Ceuta and even if I'm not rescued, I'm at least physically closer to my home and to my family. Elizabeth knew that she had to get back to your car and show she started making a plan to get there. She knew her. Captors were expert manipulators sheet.

Front row, see to that over the last nine months. In so she decided to use that same approach to try and nebulae? Then other turning around you know. I just have this feeling like silly leave me alone but like we're supposed to return to salt Lake, but I know that I am just you I am. I am to wit- It's like I'm too simple. God would never speak to me. God would never again I am just to unworthy, but this feeling won't leave me alone. Do you think you could ask God if we're supposed to return to SALT Lake cause? I know he'll tell you because you know you're his hearers profit and he'll tell you and you know you, you are his mouth peace here on earth. I should know

he'll tell you and honestly if there was another miracle and all this it was in that moment, because then he turned around his here. I think you're right. I think we should go back to salt Lake, so they hitchhike from Southern California back to Utah by this time, if you remember least knew that the guy they were looking for was crying David Mitchell. They knew what he looked like. They have that mug shot at him from when he was caught shoplifting. Every one was looking for Bryant looking for Wanda and looking for Elizabeth by the time March, twenty two thousand three came along if it had been gone for nine months and while everyone hoped and prayed she would come home say the likelihood that she was even alive after that link. The time seemed really small yeah Isn't it something like three quarters of kidnapping victims are killed within the first three hours, the internet, definite start that you hear a law in? It is somewhat true. According to U S,

criminal justice statistics of the children who are going to be murdered by their kidnappers. Seventy four percent we'll be dead within three hours, so this week, The reality on the minds of the smart family during all of those months said Elizabeth was gone, which is why her safe return to Utah into her family after all of those months with such a huge deal, not just in Utah or even in the United States, but all over the world. I got home I needed to heel, I need, to accept that my law It was never going to be what it had once been. I could never go can be the girl tat. I was before I was kidnapped, and so I had to really make peace with this new. Normal there was no going backwards. I could only accept what was here and now, when I first back. Any people always used. Ask me questions. Well. Why didn't you run? Why didn't you scream? Why didn't you you're writing to escape? Why didn't you do something? And for years and years and years I didn't

Stan why I would immediately feel so defensive when I hear the words, why didn't you, but I think a little older astonish realize it's not because I was hearing their question, but because my brain was hearing as you should have run, you should have screamed you should have done more those words. Why didn't you seemed to imply that I didn't do enough? I could sense. Whole lifetime thinking. Well, you know I went around and check the doors and windows with my dad that night, but I guess we missed one window. I should have gone back and double checked it. My dad should have gone back and double checked it when they were building the house. They shouldn't have put that window right there. You know we could have avoided this whole situation if they just place that window somewhere else or I mean No, if I just scream, why didn't I scream? If I just know, instead of just going

Then, when he told me to wake up and come with him that night, when you put the knife to my neck, if I just screamed what do you have really killed me already turned in drum and been in a rush to get out of the house? I mean like I could the rest of my life thinking that way. That would be honest, we pretty easy, but it's done it's over with it happened. Still alive. I'm still here and I'm not doing myself any favours by going back and blaming myself for what happened, because at the end of the day it was not my decision to be kidnapped whose, My decision to be raped, be chained up to have food and water withheld from me. It was the disease genes and choices of other people. They took seven years for Elizabeth case to get a trial, but when it finally did it was her testimony

that sealed the fate of her captors in two thousand nine wander bar z, plug guilty to kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison minus times serve as part of her deal with prosecutors. She testified, against her husband, who is now serving a life sentence behind bars? Okay, so wonder barges right now raise. She is, and I actually asked Elizabeth about that- here's what she said it was a disappointment, he was a disappointment to see that she was released, and I say it still is because she never, For me, you know she was. Right. There watching me be raped in he had been married before she had a prior in which she had six children of her own they were all older than me and yes, you

still ok with watching honestly, this little girl being reg and so in my mind that just makes me fell like she is every bit as guilty as brain Mitchell and so for me will you really. I felt like it was. Legal system, letting me down, but though, say that at all gave me a not I didn't already have compassion for all these victims, who never see any form of justice or where their perpetrators just get like a slap on the rest or nothing happens. Why ready, had compassion, for them, but I think it also gave me a greater compassion and a greater understanding for what they go through someone you know we have. We have a legal system, we don't have a justice system because can you ever really replace what's been take

in after you, ve been right after you ve been kidnapped. You ve been abused? Can you ever really fix that? Can you ever really receive true, restitution or compensation, or have that piece of that piece of given back your life? Go back the way was before you really count. And so I felt like it. Made me feel even more passionate about doing everything I'm doing now and what she's doing now is pretty incredible, because some how can I don't even know how she has turned this experience? This trauma this tragedy into something so powerful. She has become a strong voice for survivors of

sexual violence and through the Elizabeth, Smart Foundation, she and her team are doing incredible. Work to both prevent sexual exploitation and to support survivors The number one comment that we get is that no one believes me or I'm afraid, to tell people cause. I don't think I am well believe me or because they know who this and they liked them, they won't believe me. I mean it so common. Only. We have a whole campaign built a night, it's our November through December campaign- and it is called- we believe you and is encouraging the public to take this pledge because You have an experienced, I hope I hope the majority of people into this podcast. I hope they have it experienced rape or sexual violence or kidnapping or domestic abuse.

I hope so much they haven't, but if they have and they know someone who has with they know they know them or not, whether that first has disclosed to them or not. They know someone win us just how prevalent it is in today's society and those who campaign is about trying to help educate the public on what it is to be a survivor. How can we be a better community? How can we support are victims as survivors a bit more? How can we rise above victim blaming and victim, shaming and in a we want everyone to jump on board and take our pledge where we pledged to believe are fires. We believe you. Where are we offer them support and where we offer them. You know, love and a safe place to fall, because

we all need each other. I mean one of our other initiatives is called smart defence and you know, is all about helping women building find themselves, but also giving them the knowledge, not just the physical training, but the knowledge to understand. What's: ok, what's not, okay, workin rate come from what are defender earth stand your ground laws in a when? Is it ok to fight back door? When is it ok to defend yourself or you know, if you're in a grocery like? If you got your armful groceries, what do you do and making chosen act part of your life. The reality is that, according to Reign, the rape abuse and insects national network one in six one in six american women and will be a victim of a rate or attempted rate in our lifetime. Someone is sexually assaulted. Every seventy three seconds in this

country- oh my god, what that means is like Elizabeth SAT, even if no one has disclosed it to you you probably know someone who has been a victim of sexual assault, maybe that victim that survivor is you, and if it is, I need you to stop what you're doing for just one second I need you to turn up the volume. I need you to listen. I need you to hear this, because we all need to hear this. Wish that every victim survivor couldn't stand that what's happened to you is, is not your choice, even if it was a boyfriend that rape you even if it was, someone that you knew that took you even if it was someone that you were texting with that you met on an app and you like yeah I'd love to go out with you like. Let's meet up or someone that mean you send a naked photo to mean? still not your fault,

because you may decide the decisions. It is not you fought for being rate, it is not. It is not your fault fought for abused for being her that decisions, those crimes, why, solely on the perpetrator on person that did these things to you, and I just I wish people I understand that, because the amount of shame and self blaming and guilt that survivors have is crippling and devastating you I'm lovable and you are worthy and you have every much bit of right, as as everyone else to have joy and have peace and to live your life to the full list. You just of that can share. What's happened to you, don't have to be embarrassed of it, you don't have to be ashamed of it. You can speak out and either

and it doesnt have set out to be on the same level as everyone else may be just telling one other person, but you don't need to feel like you have to keep that bottled up inside you. You can share that. You can let that out and there are people out there who will believe you, and there are so many amazing, not different advocacy centres, shelters, law enforcement that are there for you to help you who forward in any way that you need help. They are there, for you, don't be afraid ask for help. We all knew each other. We all need to ask for help. Sometimes you're not alone, when Elizabeth was kidnapped back in two thousand to she became everyone's sister, everyone's daughter, everyone's friend, We all knew Elizabeth and we all celebrated when she came home. We ourselves and our friends and our neighbours that same love.

If you want to learn more about the programmes and series is hell. It's been mentioned today Visit Elizabeth, Smart Foundation, dot org. Despite what He's been through Elizabeth calls herself one of the lucky ones because she survived, but not every story has a happy ending like hers. Not every case even makes headlines like hers and not everyone makes at home next. He will actually be bringing you one of those stories, one that unfold in a very different way than the story we told you today. If you want to hear this raw audio of my conversation with Elizabeth, that's actually available in our fan club and so for more information on how to joint visit crime, junkie, podcast dot com there. You will also find all our source material for this episode be sure of

was uninstall room outcome. Turkey, podcast and we'll be back next week with a brand new episode crime junkie is an audio chuck production so What do you think chuck disapprove?