Press Release: Wanda Barzee Arrested for Probation Violation
Wanda Barzee, the woman convicted of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart in 2002, was arrested Thursday for violating her sex offender probation. The 79-year-old allegedly visited Liberty Park and Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City, Utah, despite being barred from such locations due to her sex offender status.
Barzee, who was released from prison in 2018 after a sentence reduction, reportedly claimed that God urged her to visit the parks to “feed the ducks.” Under her probation terms, Barzee was required to regularly check in with authorities and refrain from any criminal activity.
Barzee, along with her husband Brian David Mitchell, abducted then-14-year-old Smart from her bedroom at knifepoint, subjecting her to nine months of abuse before her rescue. Mitchell is currently serving a life sentence for his crimes.
Smart, now a mother in her 30s, has previously expressed outrage over Barzee’s early release, insisting that she should have been placed in a mental health facility. She highlighted concerns about Barzee’s proximity to children, emphasizing the need for strict precautions in protecting the community from individuals with histories of violent crimes.
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