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CNN Live Today
Still Much to Figure Out About Smart's Nine-Month Odyssey
Aired March 13, 2003 - 11:58 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: There is still much to figure out about a nine-month odyssey, in which some of the time Elizabeth Smart was practically in her own backyard.
For the very latest on this dramatic development, let's talk to CNN's Rusty Dornin.
She is joining us now live from Salt Lake City -- Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, there just are so many questions unanswered. And as you said, there are reports she was just camping, just in the hills above her house.
But there are two answers that this community was wanting to hear, and they are in the Salt Lake City community, alive and well. You can see a happy, smiling Elizabeth Smart who is holding her mother's hand. This community is elated over what happened.
But meantime, there are, of course, a lot of questions, too, on why police had not zeroed in more quickly on the suspect, Brian David Mitchell.
Apparently the younger sister of Elizabeth Smart had talked to her parents about it in October. But then, there were no sketches or no photographs until February.
I spoke to Heidi Smart, Elizabeth Smart's aunt, who said the little girl was very sure when she talked to her parents in October that she knew who was in that room.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEIDI SMART, ELIZABETH'S AUNT: She said, dad, I think I know who did it. I think it might have been Emmanuel.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: What was their reaction?
H. SMART: Their reaction was shock, and then they went through that with her to kind of verify, to make sure that she was really thinking of the right person, like describe him, and she described what he was wearing that day, that he was carrying a backpack, and, of course, her parents were like, that's the guy. She really did remember the name and the face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DORNIN: I did speak it another one of Elizabeth's uncles this morning who also said the family was very frustrated that a search for this man did not come sooner, that they weren't able to identify him.
But they felt they had to also respect law enforcement's wishes that they weren't ready to go forward with that. So the family is going to be holding a press conference here.
This is the prayer meeting room here. You can see the blue balloons behind me.
It's mainly saying welcome home to Elizabeth Smart. Blue is her favorite color, and this city has basically been blanketed in blue -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Obviously everybody very happy.
Rusty, before I let you go, what are we hearing from family members how Elizabeth managed to hold up during the night with her family, reunited with her sister, her other siblings, as well as her parents. How is she doing, as far as we can tell?
DORNIN: What's interesting is that her uncle described that she was simply overwhelmed. She had no idea of the extent of the manhunt and the search for her, and that she was rather quiet. But the times that she laughed is when she played with the kids, and her nephews and nieces and brothers and sister. Those were the times that they really saw her laugh, but that she was a bit quiet and a bit reserved.
But the family is not probing yet. They are trying to let her come back home and spend a few days before anything else, before people start probing into what went on during that past nine months.
BLITZER: Rusty Dornin with the latest from Salt Lake City on Elizabeth Smart.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired March 13, 2003 - 11:58 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: There is still much to figure out about a nine-month odyssey, in which some of the time Elizabeth Smart was practically in her own backyard.
For the very latest on this dramatic development, let's talk to CNN's Rusty Dornin.
She is joining us now live from Salt Lake City -- Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, there just are so many questions unanswered. And as you said, there are reports she was just camping, just in the hills above her house.
But there are two answers that this community was wanting to hear, and they are in the Salt Lake City community, alive and well. You can see a happy, smiling Elizabeth Smart who is holding her mother's hand. This community is elated over what happened.
But meantime, there are, of course, a lot of questions, too, on why police had not zeroed in more quickly on the suspect, Brian David Mitchell.
Apparently the younger sister of Elizabeth Smart had talked to her parents about it in October. But then, there were no sketches or no photographs until February.
I spoke to Heidi Smart, Elizabeth Smart's aunt, who said the little girl was very sure when she talked to her parents in October that she knew who was in that room.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEIDI SMART, ELIZABETH'S AUNT: She said, dad, I think I know who did it. I think it might have been Emmanuel.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: What was their reaction?
H. SMART: Their reaction was shock, and then they went through that with her to kind of verify, to make sure that she was really thinking of the right person, like describe him, and she described what he was wearing that day, that he was carrying a backpack, and, of course, her parents were like, that's the guy. She really did remember the name and the face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DORNIN: I did speak it another one of Elizabeth's uncles this morning who also said the family was very frustrated that a search for this man did not come sooner, that they weren't able to identify him.
But they felt they had to also respect law enforcement's wishes that they weren't ready to go forward with that. So the family is going to be holding a press conference here.
This is the prayer meeting room here. You can see the blue balloons behind me.
It's mainly saying welcome home to Elizabeth Smart. Blue is her favorite color, and this city has basically been blanketed in blue -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Obviously everybody very happy.
Rusty, before I let you go, what are we hearing from family members how Elizabeth managed to hold up during the night with her family, reunited with her sister, her other siblings, as well as her parents. How is she doing, as far as we can tell?
DORNIN: What's interesting is that her uncle described that she was simply overwhelmed. She had no idea of the extent of the manhunt and the search for her, and that she was rather quiet. But the times that she laughed is when she played with the kids, and her nephews and nieces and brothers and sister. Those were the times that they really saw her laugh, but that she was a bit quiet and a bit reserved.
But the family is not probing yet. They are trying to let her come back home and spend a few days before anything else, before people start probing into what went on during that past nine months.
BLITZER: Rusty Dornin with the latest from Salt Lake City on Elizabeth Smart.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
