Wanda Barzee, who was convicted of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart over 20 years ago, was recently arrested for allegedly violating sex offender restrictions. She was arrested at her Salt Lake City, Utah, home on Thursday after she allegedly visited at least two parks, which she is prohibited from doing as a registered sex offender, according to reports.

During her arrest, Barzee said “she was commanded to by the Lord” to go to Liberty Park and that she liked to go there to “sit on benches and feed ducks,” according to Fox 13 Salt Lake City. The outlet reported that Barzee also admitted that God had “commended” her to go to Sugar House Park as well.

Under Utah law, sex offenders are forbidden from entering certain “protected areas,” which include public parks.

Smart was abducted at age 14 from her Salt Lake City home by Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, on June 5, 2002, and located 20 years ago on Sunday, on March 12, 2003. (Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Department)

After Barzee’s 2025 arrest, Ed Smart — Elizabeth Smart’s father — reportedly told KUTV, a CBS affiliate, that while he does not think Barzee is a danger to his daughter, he believes she still poses a threat to children.

“I don’t think Wanda is a threat to Elizabeth. Would I want her around kids? Absolutely not. The comment ‘God told me to’ leaves one with a wide-open excuse to do anything,” Ed Smart told KUTV.

Elizabeth Smart in the season premiere of “America’s Most Wanted.” (Getty Images)

However, Barzee’s attorney, Scott Williams, told KUTV that he was “confident” that his client did not know that she was violating the terms of her sex offender status. When asked if Barzee poses a threat to anybody, Williams reportedly said “absolutely not.” 

 Stephanie Nolasco, Louis Casiano and Katherine Lam contributed to this report.