Hear Elizabeth Smart’s Unfiltered Story in New Netflix Documentary "Kidnapped"

21 Jan 2026

Elizabeth Smart, who survived one of the nation’s most infamous child abduction cases, is telling her story in vivid, unfiltered detail in the new Netflix documentary Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart, premiering January 21, 2026. At just 14 years old, Smart was forcibly taken from her Salt Lake City bedroom in June 2002 by Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. Over nine months in captivity, she endured repeated physical and sexual abuse, extreme manipulation, and emotional torment before being recognized by a member of the public in March 2003, leading to her rescue. 

Now 38, a mother of three and a prominent advocate for survivors of sexual assault, Smart uses her platform to shed light on the deep and lasting impacts of trauma. In interviews for the documentary, she candidly recounts not only the horrors of her abduction and assault but also the shame and isolation she felt afterward—emotions so powerful they kept her from speaking openly about her experience for years. 

“After I was rescued, I was very embarrassed by what had happened to me,” Smart tells PEOPLE. “Even though my head totally knew it wasn’t my fault, I couldn’t make my heart feel the same way.” Through her work with the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, she continues to push for awareness around sexual violence, support for survivors, and understanding of how trauma shapes lives long after headlines fade.

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