# Elizebeth Smart. What do you think happened? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 15, 2003, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizebeth-smart-what-do-you-think-happened/161472 "2003-03-15T00:23:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizebeth-smart-what-do-you-think-happened/161472/21 "2003-03-15T05:17:03Z")
**cadolphin** , Thank you. It helps to have perspective. It is sad to see a cities innocence lost. I was only describing the freeway panhandlers I’ve experienced in Minnesota. Other states may vary. ---
**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizebeth-smart-what-do-you-think-happened/161472/22 "2003-03-15T05:32:46Z")
The family is now saying that they found a cut window screen and chair underneath her cousin’s bedroom window several weeks after Elizabeth’s disappearance. Just as it was at her home. Bizarre. [-CNN Story-](http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/03/14/smart.kidnapping/index.html) It’s presumptive to read conspiracy into the story, IMO. I think she was just simply incompetent to handle the situation in light of the circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizebeth-smart-what-do-you-think-happened/161472/23 "2003-03-15T05:39:33Z")
The scary part is that they have been saying she was considered a wife. With all that being a wife entails. At 15. ---
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizebeth-smart-what-do-you-think-happened/161472/24 "2003-03-15T06:20:31Z")
Kathy, you just focus on your baby, for whom I am praying. This whole mess is going to play out however it plays out…your life is more important. Both to you, since you are living it, and to me…because I care so much for you. Elizabeth Smart is home. She is, I hope, safe. There are going to be ramifications…I just hope she is able to deal with them. I am praying for her, too. My Love, Cheri ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizebeth-smart-what-do-you-think-happened/161472/25 "2003-03-15T06:29:14Z")
**whuckie** you have mail. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizebeth-smart-what-do-you-think-happened/161472/26 "2003-03-15T07:11:06Z")
Yes Kathy, I hope your child does very well, and soon. The people that panhandle or carry the “will work for food” signs have been exposed as cons from time to time. Though I`m sure there are some legit sincere people out there. I would not introduce one into my house unless it was a contact through church or close friends. I hope this story with Liz has a happy ending (so far so good), I`m just not sure what the ending will be. ---
**Author:** ![cadolphin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c37758/32.png) [@cadolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cadolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizebeth-smart-what-do-you-think-happened/161472/27 "2003-03-15T07:45:27Z")
Thank you so very much **Scotticher** and **whuckfistle**!!! ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizebeth-smart-what-do-you-think-happened/161472/28 "2003-03-15T16:49:44Z")
“With all that being a wife entails. At 15.” How about hawaii? there a lady can become a wife at 14 or NH, usa 13. I think there must have been two forces, there was one pushing her away from her family & one pushing her to the new family. Only she knows what they are. ---
**Author:** ![Elvis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@Elvis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elvis)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizebeth-smart-what-do-you-think-happened/161472/29 "2003-03-15T17:15:17Z")
I saw a quote from one of Mitchell’s daughters (sorry, lacking a cite) claiming Mitchell was adept at hypnotism. So this is a scared 15 year old girl, certainly threatened, likely sexually abused, possibly hypnotized. In addition, she was brought up in a strict religigious environment and her kidnapper espoused very strong religious dogma and saw himself as some sort of messiah. You might as well ask why people don’t just walk away from the moonies or other cults. The girl was brainwashed, that’s why she didn’t take any of her many opportunities to leave. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizebeth-smart-what-do-you-think-happened/161472/30 "2003-03-15T17:35:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NurseCarmen \* > \*\ ***Scotticher** , I lay dollars to donuts that over 90 percent of those folks you see at highway exits holding the “Will work for food” signs are just looking for a handout that’ll give them that next drink. I am in no way condemning the homeless. The homeless have plenty of legitimate avenues for work and betterment. Pathetic drunks and loonies end up holding cardboard signs at freeway exits. \*\* People who are willing and capable to stand up holding a sign all day are the kind of poor people who will get government assistance. The homeless are those who avoid the governments attempts to feed and house them. Some are crazy, some are afraid of authority for more legitimate reasons, some are just extremely individualistic. Most of the people holding signs by the side of the road are probably not homeless, or if they are they are feeding a far more money-consuming habit than alcoholism. I read in one of those free alternative papers (maybe the Observer) an article where the reporter made himself a cardboard sign, wore dirty, worn-out clothes, and picked a good intersection. He averaged $35 an hour over two hours. That’s more than a day’s pay for me, when you consider taxes. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizebeth-smart-what-do-you-think-happened/161472/31 "2003-03-15T18:22:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Badtz Maru \* > **He averaged $35 an hour over two hours** :smack: Looks like I chose the wrong career path. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizebeth-smart-what-do-you-think-happened/161472.md?page=1)