Elizabeth Smart is speaking out after one of her kidnappers, Wanda Barzee, was rearrested earlier this month over a parole violation. According to NBC News, she is no longer in custody.
Barzee, 79, is said to have visited at least two parks, which she is not permitted to do as a registered sex offender.
The kidnapping victim, who was abducted by Brian David Mitchell andBarzee at the age of 14 and held until her rescue almost nine months later, took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday, May 8, to address Barzee’s arrest and send her thanks to “the Salt Lake City Police Department for their quick and appropriate response.”
In a selfie-style video uploaded to the social media platform, Smart explained that the park is “a place where she is legally barred from going, because she’s a registered sex offender.”
“Her justification was that she was commanded by the Lord, which unfortunately is very familiar to me and is probably the most concerning thing,” Smart continued, “because that’s how they justified kidnapping me.”
She said “this incident confirms exactly why” she’s been so vocal with her concerns surrounding Barzee’s initial release from prison.
That said, she was very grateful to the members of law enforcement who dealt with the matter, stating that “They handled the situation with a trauma-informed approach, which means so much to me personally.”
“When authorities take these situations, these violations seriously, it sends a very powerful message that survivor safety matters,” she added. “My case received so much attention but the sad truth is that most survivors never see their perpetrators arrested, let alone convicted.”
She took the opportunity to address policy makers, “urging” them to “view this as a reminder that sex offender registries and release conditions exist for important reasons.”
Next: Kidnapping Victim Elizabeth Smart Reflects on Life on the 21st Anniversary of Her Rescue