Natalee Holloway: A Case That Captivated The Nation

The Abduction of Elizabeth Smart

On June 5, 2002, at the age of 14, Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her bedroom. It started as a normal night for the Smart family. Elizabeth’s father Ed and his wife Louis lived with their six children in Federal Heights, Utah – an affluent area of Salt Lake City.

On the evening of June 4, 2002, the family went to attend an awards ceremony at Bryant Middle School. When they returned, Ed got the children ready for bed. He made sure all the doors were locked, but didn’t set the alarm because it would go off if the children got up in the middle of the night.