BERIGAN Posted March 12, 2003 Report Share Posted March 12, 2003 MIRACLES DO HAPPEN! Missing Teen Elizabeth Smart Found Alive Subscribe to The Post The Associated Press Wednesday, March 12, 2003; 5:29 PM Elizabeth Smart, the 15-year-old girl who vanished from her bedroom nearly eight months ago, was found alive Wednesday during a traffic stop in suburban Salt Lake City, police said. "Miracles do exist," said the girl's uncle, Tom Smart. The girl was found in the car of a drifter who was pulled over in a traffic stop Wednesday afternoon, Sandy police spokeswoman Michelle Burnette said. "Two separate women called in and said they thought they had spotted 'Emmanuel,'" she said. Emmanuel, whose real name is Brian David Mitchell, once did work on the Smart's home. Sandy police pulled over Mitchell, another woman and a girl who looked like Elizabeth. They later confirmed her identity, police said. Salt Lake City police detectives arrived to take over the investigation. Smart was transferred to the Salt Lake city police station. Mitchell was in custody at the Sandy police station. Last month, Elizabeth's parents announced a new reward for information and asked for help in their search for the handyman known only as "Emanuel." They released a sketch of the man. At the time, they said Elizabeth's sister, Mary Katharine, had come to them recently to say "Emanuel" bore some resemblance to the man who took Elizabeth from their room at gunpoint. Elizabeth's kidnapping was part of a frightening string of child abductions that included the slayings of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam of San Diego and 5-year-old Samantha Runnion of Orange County, Calif. Elizabeth was 14 when she was seized early on the morning of June 5 in front of her 9-year-old sister by a gunman who may have gotten into the house by cutting a window screen near the back door. As the younger sister pretended to be asleep, the gunman threatened to hurt Elizabeth if she didn't keep quiet. The top potential suspect in the kidnapping, Richard Albert Ricci, a handyman who once worked in the Smart household, died Aug. 30 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage while in prison on a parole violation. He said he had nothing to do with the kidnapping. Investigators have said they believe he was involved but may not have acted alone. Over the summer, the Smarts held twice-daily news briefings and helped coordinate huge volunteer searches. Ed Smart, a real estate broker, vowed to keep the case in the spotlight. The family often got calls from the police, but it was never the information they wanted to hear. Often, police were calling to alert them to grisly discoveries that might be linked to their missing daughter; they wanted the Smarts to know before the story hit the news. Sometimes, the news beat the police. Hands and feet had been found in a canyon, or bones had been discovered in the desert, according to the news. The Smarts would call police to ask if it was Elizabeth. Every time, the answer was no. Police said they followed up more than 16,000 leads from the public in addition to those they have come up with themselves. --- On the Net: http://www.elizabethsmart.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted March 13, 2003 Report Share Posted March 13, 2003 Thanks for posting this. I've been avoiding the national news for a week 'cause it drives me nuts. Wonderful to hear some good news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonF Posted March 13, 2003 Report Share Posted March 13, 2003 Thanks for posting this. I've been avoiding the national news for a week 'cause it drives me nuts. Wonderful to hear some good news. Wonderful to hear some good news, indeed! My daughter called me at work when she heard the news this afternoon. She was elated and so was I. Made my month! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted March 13, 2003 Report Share Posted March 13, 2003 It is good news, indeed, and I am glad for the Smart family. However... Is it really necessary for CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News to devote all of their coverage to this particular news item? I just checked a few minutes ago, and they're STILL talking about it. What's to discuss? She's alive. She seems to be physically well. The details of her abduction will become known over time. Do the talking heads have to repeat the same information over and over again until some new news surfaces? I HATE cable news! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie87 Posted March 13, 2003 Report Share Posted March 13, 2003 Alexander - Not everyone hears it at the same time as you. And if people are just hearing about it through word of mouth, perhaps they want to go to the media to find out more. I still haven't seen this info on any of the news channels available to me (CNN International, Fox News, and some British channels), so if I turn on the tv and happen to see a report on the Smart case, I'll watch it. This particular case being positive and heartwarming, gets people excited. They want to know more about her and the kidnapping, so I don't think it's as simple (or unpassionate) as "She's Alive. She seems to be physically well" and let's all get over it and move on to the next subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soul Stream Posted March 13, 2003 Report Share Posted March 13, 2003 Alexander, haven't you noticed the "modern" new cycle is eternity? I'm glad it is good news.... I'd rather hear the endless accounts of cable new telling us the happy ending than the sad... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonF Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 It's interesting to hear the rumblings of protest regarding the Smart family's constant referral to "miracles" and the power of their prayer. The objection centers around the inference that families whose children have not been found alive didn't pray enough or hard enough. I have to say, the Mormon dogma is getting pretty thick surrounding all of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 Yeah, being an atheist I don't hold with all the "power of prayer" crap. The Smarts are *extremely* lucky that a *real* nutjob didn't kidnap their kid. They were fortunate to get a "second teir" loony and not a "first teir" loony (a la Samantha Runion's kidnapper). Otherwise, and I'm very sorry to have to say it, all the prayer in the world wouldn't have saved Elizabeth. Again, I say, it's good news that she's safe and sound. I couldn't be happier for the Smarts right now. But ascribing cosmic significance to a human event...please. If there is a God, he's hearing about it on CNN just like the rest of us. To imply that the Smarts were somehow "in" with God in a way that the Runions weren't (or the ten million people who died in the holocaust, for that matter) is actually remarkably insensitive (I know, pot calling the kettle black). Sorry to drizzle on everybody's parade, but I'm the kind of person who likes to remember all the bad things in life whenever something good happens. I look for the cloud in every silver lining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vibes Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 (edited) I have to say, the Mormon dogma is getting pretty thick surrounding all of this. Being raised Mormon, I've been waiting for all the dogma to come in and it's been surprisingly light, believe it or not. Maybe I'm just getting my news from the wrong sources. Anyway, nothing I've heard in the news or read online has been anything other than what I would expect from any strong Christian family. Edited March 14, 2003 by vibes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 I get what people are saying though about "the power of prayer". I'm always reminded of Primo Levi's experience in WW II, and his reaction to someone praying to God that they won't get "exterminated", the hatred and anger is over powering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonF Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 (edited) I have to say, the Mormon dogma is getting pretty thick surrounding all of this. Being raised Mormon, I've been waiting for all the dogma to come in and it's been surprisingly light, believe it or not. Maybe I'm just getting my news from the wrong sources. Anyway, nothing I've heard in the news or read online has been anything other than what I would expect from any strong Christian family. vibes, I'm also an atheist but I want you to know that my intention was not to slam Mormans. I've probably interrpreted a lot of what I've been hearing incorrectly. I do, however, agree with those who object to the "power of prayer" mantra. If nothing else, I think they're being terribly insensitive to those who have been far less fortunate under similar circumstances. The Smarts and their daughter Elizabeth were very, very lucky, indeed. Edited March 14, 2003 by RonF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vibes Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 vibes, I'm also an atheist but I want you to know that my intention was not to slam Mormans. I've probably interrpreted a lot of what I've been hearing incorrectly. I do, however, agree with those who object to the "power of prayer" mantra. If nothing else, I think they're being terribly insensitive to those who have been far less fortunate under similar circumstances. The Smarts and their daughter Elizabeth were very, very lucky, indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonF Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 However, if the Smarts in any way insinuated that it was because they prayed a lot that Elizabeth was found, and that other missing children who are not found are not found because of the lack of prayer, then yes, I would agree that is very insensitive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vibes Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 However, if the Smarts in any way insinuated that it was because they prayed a lot that Elizabeth was found, and that other missing children who are not found are not found because of the lack of prayer, then yes, I would agree that is very insensitive. vibes, I don't think the Smarts are insinuating. You're right, ofcourse - they're so absorbed in religion, they're pretty much thinking of only themselves. My problem is, I don't see how else it can be interpreted. When they say their daughter was returned (by god) because of their faith and power of prayer, the obvious question is raised, Why didn't god save the kidnapped child who was murdered? Faith not strong enough. Prayer not good enough. They would, no doubt, say that god "had a plan". Ugh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmjk Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 Otherwise, and I'm very sorry to have to say it, all the prayer in the world wouldn't have saved Elizabeth. Alexander, what makes you an authority? A statement like "I'm very sorry to have to say it..." comes across as condescending and patronizing. Once again, you want to burst the bubble of everyone who may find comfort in communication with a god. Not being Mormon, and being of somewhat weak faith myself, I recoil at the Mormon overtones just like anyone else would, but I can let that pass. This awful ordeal happened to the Smart family, and if they want to attribute the fortunate outcome to a higher power, then so be it. Who am I to mock that? Who are you to mock that? I don't mean to be contrary, nor do I mean to discourage you or anyone from expressing an opinion, but this shit is getting old, man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 Well....if it was a higher power that rescued her, why couldn't the higher power stay awake the night she was kidnapped? Does the higher power need more caffiene? Oh, I forget, the Smarts were evil backsliding tools of Satan and needed this event to get them hip to the higher power's incessant need for fawning adulation from lesser beings. Okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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