The woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart in 2002 violated her parole in by visiting two public parks in Utah, allegedly telling police she was "commanded by the Lord" to do so.
Wanda Barzee, 79, was convicted in connection with the 2002 abduction and abuse of then-14-year-old Elizabeth Smart, who was held captive for nine months by Barzee and her husband, Brian David Mitchell, People reported. Smart endured near-daily sexual assault and psychological abuse during her captivity.
Barzee was released from prison in 2018 after serving 15 years, despite opposition from Smart and her family. As a condition of her release as a registered sex offender, Barzee is prohibited from entering community parks or areas where children may gather.
On April 9, Barzee visited Liberty Park and later Sugarhouse Park in Salt Lake City, activities that violate the terms of her parole. When confronted by police, she reportedly said "she was commanded to by the Lord" to go and described sitting on benches and feeding ducks.
Authorities confirmed that Barzee is banned from such locations due to her conviction involving a child victim. She was arrested on May 1 after detectives gathered evidence of the violation.
Barzee was taken into custody without a warrant, a decision a judge later deemed legally justified. However, she was released the same day and awaits formal court proceedings.
Barzee faces a Class A misdemeanor charge, which carries a potential sentence of up to 364 days in jail. If she violates her parole again, future charges could be upgraded to felonies.
Originally published on Lawyer Herald
