Elizabeth Smart Testifies about Missed Opportunity after Abduction

Elizabeth Smart, the girl who was kidnapped at 14 years old in June of 2002, took the stand this week to testify against her abductor, Brian David Mitchell.

Tuesday was the second day of testimony, and Smart, now 23, recalled a frustrating missed opportunity to be found just weeks after her initial kidnapping. While out with her captors, a police detective approached smart, who was wearing a robe and a veil at a Salt Lake City library. When he approached Smart and attempted to lift up her veil, Mitchell yelled at the detective, claiming that removing it would be against their religion and that only he should be able to see her face.

"He said he was looking for Elizabeth Smart," Smart told jurors. But instead of taking that opportunity to accept help, Smart became nervous and frightened as Wanda Barzee, Mitchell’s estranged wife, squeezed her leg to keep quiet.

"[Mitchell] said that it was not allowed in our religion and that only my husband would ever see my face." Smart said. Even more frustrating, the detective continued to press Mitchell, saying that "if he could be a part of our religion for a day, just so he could see my face, just so he could go back [to the police station] and say, 'no it wasn't Elizabeth Smart.'"

Smart said she was mad at herself for not taking that opportunity to get help.

Around the Web:

Elizabeth Smart Testimony: Cop Found Me But "Walked Away" [CBS News]

Elizabeth Smart: 'I Was Mad at Myself' During Abduction [People]

Elizabeth Smart says she awoke to knife on neck [Yahoo! News]