SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Wanda Barzee, 79, who was convicted of the kidnapping and captivity of Elizabeth Smart in 2002, was arrested this week for violating sex offender restrictions by visiting public parks in Salt Lake City.
Barzee was arrested on Thursday at her home in Salt Lake City and booked on one charge of violating her status as a sex offender, according to a spokesperson for the Salt Lake City Police Department. The arrest came after investigators received information that Barzee had visited at least two public parks — Liberty Park and Sugar House Park — in April 2024.
Under Utah law, registered sex offenders are prohibited from entering certain protected areas, including public parks. This restriction is in place to prevent sex offenders from having access to areas frequented by children and families.
Following her arrest, Barzee was taken into custody but was later released, with Salt Lake County Metro Jail records indicating she is no longer in custody. It has not been immediately clarified whether Barzee was released on bail or if she has secured legal representation. According to police spokesperson Brent Weisberg, court records show that Barzee was released under judicial orders.
Barzee’s involvement in the high-profile kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart dates back to 2002, when she and her then-husband, Brian David Mitchell, abducted 14-year-old Elizabeth from her Salt Lake City home. Mitchell, who is serving a life sentence for his role in the abduction and subsequent assaults, repeatedly sexually assaulted Smart during her nine-month captivity. Barzee, who was complicit in the crime, was convicted of state and federal crimes and sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in 2010. She was released in 2018 after serving her sentence.
Elizabeth Smart, now 37, has since become a prominent advocate for victims of child abduction and sexual violence. She has spoken publicly about the traumatic experience, including the repeated sexual abuse she endured at the hands of Mitchell and the role Barzee played in encouraging and facilitating the abuse.
The incident has once again brought attention to the ongoing challenges faced by survivors of abduction and the legal restrictions placed on individuals convicted of such heinous crimes.
