Zahra Baker Raped & Murdered! N.C. DSS Still To Blame!

Man Denies Rape Allegation In Zahra Baker Case


Search warrants that were issued in connection with the Zahra Baker case have revealed startling new information about the investigation.

The warrants were unsealed by a judge late Tuesday afternoon. The 11 warrants were issued in October; they include eight warrants for the Baker’s Hickory home and three warrants to access social media accounts owned by Zahra’s stepmother, Elisa Baker.

In total, the documents provide 121 pages of new details into the investigation.

Search Warrant for Baker home in Hickory.

According to the documents, the Burke County Sheriff’s Office investigated a claim that Zahra Baker had been killed by one or two men who had raped her at a house in Hildebran. The men--cousins--are related to Baker's ex-husband. The tipster alleged that Zahra had been left at the home, and when her mother returned, the little girl had blood on her private area and legs.

According to the search warrants, one of the men had a relationship with Elisa Baker.

Lewis James Young, one of the two men, tells NewsChannel 36 that, to his knowledge, Zahra Baker, has never been in his house. He says he was questioned for ten hours about the allegation and passed a lie detector test.

When police searched the Burke County home, the warrants indicate a mattress with a dark stain was discovered. Young said, "I had gotten really drunk and urinated on it."

Police did not remove the mattress.

Young said his brief interactions with Zahra at Christmas last year were always good. "She was a very respectful little girl...always happy."

He says he offered his help to the investigators who questioned him. "I told them, I said, 'Guys, whatever I can think of--if I can think of anything else--I'll let you know. I'll help you in any way I can.'"

A woman who answered Young's cousin's phone hung up when NewsChannel 36 called for comment. Neither man has been arrested. A source close to the investigation tells NewsChannel 36 police do not put much stock in the allegation.

Most of the detail in the warrants concerns searching police made of the Baker’s home in Hickory. There, warrants say, investigators removed drain pipes and traps looking for blood. They also removed sections of the wall where they believe there was blood evidence.

The warrants detail the locations Elisa Baker directed them to search. They include a dumpster at an apartment complex in Hickory where Elisa Baker told investigators she and Adam had ditched Zahra's prosthetic leg, a dumpster at an apartment complex in Granite Falls where Elisa allegedly said they'd left Zahra's mattress, and a dumpster in Hudson where Baker's lawyer told police a car cover and bed comforter used to transport Zahra's body parts had been dumped.

According to the warrants, Baker also communicated that latex gloves stored in their home in Hickory had been used to dismember Zahra's body.

One warrant reveals that Elisa Baker submitted to a lie detector test and when asked if she had harmed Zahra or knew anyone who did, her answers were said to be deceptive.




DSS Tries To Duck Responsibility For The Death Of Zahra Baker & Other Children It Could Have Saved


From Selena Childs, project director for the N.C. Child Welfare Workforce Collaborative Project at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work and former executive director of the N.C. Child Fatality Task Force:


When I hear about a child's death, my chest tightens and my stomach clenches. I hold my children close and give thanks for their safety. I tear up thinking about the fear and pain the child might have experienced and think about loved ones left behind, who are hurting beyond my comprehension. When I learn that the Department of Social Services was involved with the family, my compassion extends to the workers and agency leaders who I know are experiencing a heartfelt loss themselves.

As the public tries to make sense of an inconceivable loss, inevitably blame is sought. As a parent I understand that, because when I hear of a child death I am desperate to find a reason that helps me do away with the anxiety I experience as I hope nothing bad will ever happen to my children. And there is no better target for blame when a child dies than the social service agency charged with protecting children, or so the public seems to believe. I understand that reaction, and I might share it if I didn't know what Child Protective Services workers actually do. If I only knew the negative stereotypes of social workers from TV, I would be on the front lines of attack - "Where were you? Why didn't you do more to prevent this tragedy?"

But I know better. About 80 percent of the families that Child Protective Services/DSS workers serve are families who are unable to meet some of their kids' basic needs. In those cases CPS workers assess the family's needs and work with the family to connect them to resources. Most of those families are helped to help themselves and most importantly, helped to take care of their kids on their own. In the other 20 percent, the caretakers are unable to keep their children safe and may be the source of physical/sexual/emotional abuse. In those instances, CPS workers have the charge and the authority to remove children from those unsafe situations and place them in a safe home.

Most of the time the system works. Most of the time kids are protected. Most of the time the good work of CPS goes unnoticed, unheralded, un-reported in the news. But when a child is a victim of a violent crime and CPS has a history with the family, CPS is blamed, almost as if the workers and agency had committed the crime themselves.

On behalf of the families and children who have been well-served by DSS/CPS, I suggest that the public would benefit if the media and DSS partnered to paint a more complete picture. Reporters might attend a Child and Family Team meeting; shadow a DSS director through the day; and talk to the kids and parents who are better off as a result of the service they received.

I understand the temptation to blame DSS when a child dies - the alternative, that we as a society have failed, is almost too big to comprehend. If there's a worker or agency to blame, then you and I can worry less that it could be us who someday experiences such a devastating loss. But I know better. And you, the public, should have accurate information about the good work of our departments of social services so you know better, too.

















Hundreds Pack Town Square For Zahra's Birthday


Hundreds of people packed Hickory's Union Square Tuesday evening to remember Zahra Baker on what would have been her 11th birthday.

Though police now say Zahra is dead, the birth date of the once-missing child was an opportunity for the strangers who've been touched by the story of her disapperance to celebrate her life. Many people traveled from miles--even states--away to light candles in Zahra's memory at a vigil in central downtown Hickory.

"My wife and I just felt we had to be here," said Tom Trinchera, who came from Johnson City, Tennessee.

Hickory's mayor Rudy White spoke, as well as Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins.

"39 days ago, most of us did not know Zahra Baker, but in this past month, we have fallen in love with her and we are better people because of it," Chief Adkins said. He relayed stories he's heard from Zahra's friends and family during the investigation into her death. "Nothing would slow her down. She wanted no pity. She wanted to be like every other child."

"As you pass that flame on to your neighbor," explained Adrienne Opdyke, of the Catawba County Children's Protection Council, as participants lit candles, "Promise not to forget Zahra's story and promise to make a difference in the lives of the children that you know."

Zahra's stepmother's sister, April Fairchild, was at the vigil. She says her rocky relationship with her sister kept her from knowing Zahra well, but she describes this time as "painful" for her family.

"All we have ever wanted is just closure," she said. She said her sister Elisa, suspected but not charged in Zahra's disappearance, deserves punishment if its due, but "Adam Baker deserves to be sitting right beside of her...I just pray that just like everything else, Hickory Police Department, all of the law enforcement, all of the people who have helped--shed tears--about this case, does not let this fall through the cracks like she fell through the cracks with DSS."





D.A. Won't Rush For An Arrest In Zahra Baker Case


On what would have been her 11th birthday there are cards, toys and flowers outside the home in Hickory where Zahra Baker lived. But there also some new banners and signs hung on the house, signs with an angry tone.

One calls for justice for her father Adam Baker and her stepmother, Elisa Baker.

Another sign demands to know why the girl was "thrown out like the trash."

District Attorney James Gaither, who is handling the Investigation, said in a lengthy interview Tuesday that he will not pressure Police investigators to make an arrest.

"It is not my responsibility to push them or make something happen when the investigation is ongoing," Gaither said.

Gaither says he understands the growing frustration over what happened to the 10-year old girl who so many feel they have come to know and wish they could have helped.

Certainly the recovery of the remains of Zahra Baker was a critical part of the investigation but it doesn't mean that investigation is complete or that we are ready at this point to go forward with charges.

Gaither also raised questions about Lisa Dubbs, the lawyer who has been appointed to represent Elisa Baker if she is charged with murder. Gaither questioned why Dubbs and a private investigator working for her went out and picked up important physical evidence in the case.

Dubbs told NewsChannel 36 that Gaither should know that the defense always has the right to look for evidence. She says that in this case the unspecified item was brought to Gaither himself to prove that Elisa Baker would cooperate truthfully.

Gaither says that is a matter he will continue to look into.

"I believe there are some reasonable minds that differ on whether that is an appropriate function of defense council," said Gaither.




Zahra Baker's Stepmom Gave Explicit Details In Death

Zahra Baker's body was dismembered and the remains hidden across several rural locations, a court document said for the first time Monday, days after police said that the 10-year-old cancer survivor is dead.

The court filing is a motion by Zahra's stepmother, Elisa Baker, asking the court to reduce her $65,000 bond for obstruction of justice. The motion, filed Monday afternoon in Superior Court, provides specific and at times grisly details of what Elisa Baker says happened to the young girl's body.

The document doesn't indicate how Zahra died or who may be responsible, but the motion argues that Baker's bond should be reduced because of her extensive and continuing cooperation.

"The only credible evidence released to the public by law enforcement related to this case is evidence that was collected after Elisa Baker told law enforcement where to look and what to look for," the motion says.

Elisa Baker's attorneys met with her for two hours Monday, but declined to speak with reporters. They couldn't be reached for comment Monday night.

It wasn't clear Monday why Elisa Baker, in admitted some knowledge of Zahra's death, could be asking for a lower bond. Police haven't given a motive in the case.

Speculation has centered around Elisa and Adam Baker, Zahra's father, since shortly after the girl was reported missing on Oct. 9.

A family member interviewed by CNN's Nancy Grace described talking with Elisa Baker in jail.

"As we talked with her, she cried over missing Zahra and how her husband has left her to take all the blame for what has happened when he played a big part in this terrible situation," the cousin said in the interview. The cousin spoke on condition of anonymity because of death threats the family has received.

The owner of a crime memorabilia website is selling two letters he claims he received from Elisa Baker saying her stepdaughter, Zahra, is dead, and that her husband did something "horrifying" to the girl after her death.

"We didn't really kill her but what he did after the fact is kinda horrifying," says one of the letters Eric Gein claims he got from Elisa Baker, who is in jail. "Makes me scared of him."

In Monday's motion, they say she has been instrumental in the investigation into the death of the girl who moved to the United States from Australia in 2009, after her father Adam married Elisa Baker.

Zahra Baker, who was hearing-impaired and walked with the help of a prosthesis after losing her left leg to cancer, was reported missing by her father in a call to police.

On Friday, after more than a month of investigating, police said they had credible evidence that Zahra was dead, and had unearthed remains of a child they believe was Zahra.

Both Adam and Elisa Baker have denied any wrongdoing in the case. Elisa Baker was arrested on Oct. 10 on unrelated charges, then charged with obstruction of justice on Oct. 12 after investigators say she admitted writing a bogus ransom note.

According to Monday's motion to reduce bond, Elisa Baker told her attorneys on Oct. 22 that she had information about the disappearance and death of Zahra Baker.

Elisa Baker's defense attorneys notified police the next morning, indicating that Baker was willing to cooperate with investigators. But, they said, investigators had to move fast because weather could destroy evidence, according to the document.

Investigators were told that Zahra Baker was deceased, that her body had been dismembered and that body parts would be discovered at different sites. The defense team suggested that Baker needed to be present because of the remote locations of the sites.

Baker went out with law enforcement agents to three sites on Oct. 25, according to the court document. At each site, she described what would be found there and told officers where to look.

At one point, she was photographed by television news cameras inside a red SUV being driven by law enforcement agents.

The document says officers recovered the gel liner of the prosthetic leg near Christie Road in Hudson because of Baker. The site is near where Elisa Baker used to live.

Investigators also found evidence at two other sites because of Baker, the document says: a bone later identified as Zahra Baker's at the Christie Road site and remains believed to be those of Zahra Baker at another Caldwell County location along Dudley Shoals Road.

The document says Baker also directed investigators to other sites where possible evidence was located, including the dumpster where Zahra's mattress was discarded and undisclosed items found at the family's home.

Baker has continued to cooperate with authorities, the motion says. She was still in Catawba County jail Monday night. It was unclear Monday evening when a judge is expected to rule on the motion.


View Larger Map


Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, WCNC, Google Maps

Zahra Baker Remembered; Even Though DSS Forgot

Hundreds Pack Town Square For Zahra's Birthday


Hundreds of people packed Hickory's Union Square Tuesday evening to remember Zahra Baker on what would have been her 11th birthday.

Though police now say Zahra is dead, the birth date of the once-missing child was an opportunity for the strangers who've been touched by the story of her disapperance to celebrate her life. Many people traveled from miles--even states--away to light candles in Zahra's memory at a vigil in central downtown Hickory.

"My wife and I just felt we had to be here," said Tom Trinchera, who came from Johnson City, Tennessee.

Hickory's mayor Rudy White spoke, as well as Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins.

"39 days ago, most of us did not know Zahra Baker, but in this past month, we have fallen in love with her and we are better people because of it," Chief Adkins said. He relayed stories he's heard from Zahra's friends and family during the investigation into her death. "Nothing would slow her down. She wanted no pity. She wanted to be like every other child."

"As you pass that flame on to your neighbor," explained Adrienne Opdyke, of the Catawba County Children's Protection Council, as participants lit candles, "Promise not to forget Zahra's story and promise to make a difference in the lives of the children that you know."

Zahra's stepmother's sister, April Fairchild, was at the vigil. She says her rocky relationship with her sister kept her from knowing Zahra well, but she describes this time as "painful" for her family.

"All we have ever wanted is just closure," she said. She said her sister Elisa, suspected but not charged in Zahra's disappearance, deserves punishment if its due, but "Adam Baker deserves to be sitting right beside of her...I just pray that just like everything else, Hickory Police Department, all of the law enforcement, all of the people who have helped--shed tears--about this case, does not let this fall through the cracks like she fell through the cracks with DSS."





D.A. Won't Rush For An Arrest In Zahra Baker Case


On what would have been her 11th birthday there are cards, toys and flowers outside the home in Hickory where Zahra Baker lived. But there also some new banners and signs hung on the house, signs with an angry tone.

One calls for justice for her father Adam Baker and her stepmother, Elisa Baker.

Another sign demands to know why the girl was "thrown out like the trash."

District Attorney James Gaither, who is handling the Investigation, said in a lengthy interview Tuesday that he will not pressure Police investigators to make an arrest.

"It is not my responsibility to push them or make something happen when the investigation is ongoing," Gaither said.

Gaither says he understands the growing frustration over what happened to the 10-year old girl who so many feel they have come to know and wish they could have helped.

Certainly the recovery of the remains of Zahra Baker was a critical part of the investigation but it doesn't mean that investigation is complete or that we are ready at this point to go forward with charges.

Gaither also raised questions about Lisa Dubbs, the lawyer who has been appointed to represent Elisa Baker if she is charged with murder. Gaither questioned why Dubbs and a private investigator working for her went out and picked up important physical evidence in the case.

Dubbs told NewsChannel 36 that Gaither should know that the defense always has the right to look for evidence. She says that in this case the unspecified item was brought to Gaither himself to prove that Elisa Baker would cooperate truthfully.

Gaither says that is a matter he will continue to look into.

"I believe there are some reasonable minds that differ on whether that is an appropriate function of defense council," said Gaither.





Zahra Baker's Stepmom Gave Explicit Details In Death

Zahra Baker's body was dismembered and the remains hidden across several rural locations, a court document said for the first time Monday, days after police said that the 10-year-old cancer survivor is dead.

The court filing is a motion by Zahra's stepmother, Elisa Baker, asking the court to reduce her $65,000 bond for obstruction of justice. The motion, filed Monday afternoon in Superior Court, provides specific and at times grisly details of what Elisa Baker says happened to the young girl's body.

The document doesn't indicate how Zahra died or who may be responsible, but the motion argues that Baker's bond should be reduced because of her extensive and continuing cooperation.

"The only credible evidence released to the public by law enforcement related to this case is evidence that was collected after Elisa Baker told law enforcement where to look and what to look for," the motion says.

Elisa Baker's attorneys met with her for two hours Monday, but declined to speak with reporters. They couldn't be reached for comment Monday night.

It wasn't clear Monday why Elisa Baker, in admitted some knowledge of Zahra's death, could be asking for a lower bond. Police haven't given a motive in the case.

Speculation has centered around Elisa and Adam Baker, Zahra's father, since shortly after the girl was reported missing on Oct. 9.

A family member interviewed by CNN's Nancy Grace described talking with Elisa Baker in jail.

"As we talked with her, she cried over missing Zahra and how her husband has left her to take all the blame for what has happened when he played a big part in this terrible situation," the cousin said in the interview. The cousin spoke on condition of anonymity because of death threats the family has received.

The owner of a crime memorabilia website is selling two letters he claims he received from Elisa Baker saying her stepdaughter, Zahra, is dead, and that her husband did something "horrifying" to the girl after her death.

"We didn't really kill her but what he did after the fact is kinda horrifying," says one of the letters Eric Gein claims he got from Elisa Baker, who is in jail. "Makes me scared of him."

In Monday's motion, they say she has been instrumental in the investigation into the death of the girl who moved to the United States from Australia in 2009, after her father Adam married Elisa Baker.

Zahra Baker, who was hearing-impaired and walked with the help of a prosthesis after losing her left leg to cancer, was reported missing by her father in a call to police.

On Friday, after more than a month of investigating, police said they had credible evidence that Zahra was dead, and had unearthed remains of a child they believe was Zahra.

Both Adam and Elisa Baker have denied any wrongdoing in the case. Elisa Baker was arrested on Oct. 10 on unrelated charges, then charged with obstruction of justice on Oct. 12 after investigators say she admitted writing a bogus ransom note.

According to Monday's motion to reduce bond, Elisa Baker told her attorneys on Oct. 22 that she had information about the disappearance and death of Zahra Baker.

Elisa Baker's defense attorneys notified police the next morning, indicating that Baker was willing to cooperate with investigators. But, they said, investigators had to move fast because weather could destroy evidence, according to the document.

Investigators were told that Zahra Baker was deceased, that her body had been dismembered and that body parts would be discovered at different sites. The defense team suggested that Baker needed to be present because of the remote locations of the sites.

Baker went out with law enforcement agents to three sites on Oct. 25, according to the court document. At each site, she described what would be found there and told officers where to look.

At one point, she was photographed by television news cameras inside a red SUV being driven by law enforcement agents.

The document says officers recovered the gel liner of the prosthetic leg near Christie Road in Hudson because of Baker. The site is near where Elisa Baker used to live.

Investigators also found evidence at two other sites because of Baker, the document says: a bone later identified as Zahra Baker's at the Christie Road site and remains believed to be those of Zahra Baker at another Caldwell County location along Dudley Shoals Road.

The document says Baker also directed investigators to other sites where possible evidence was located, including the dumpster where Zahra's mattress was discarded and undisclosed items found at the family's home.

Baker has continued to cooperate with authorities, the motion says. She was still in Catawba County jail Monday night. It was unclear Monday evening when a judge is expected to rule on the motion.


View Larger Map


Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, WCNC, Google Maps

Zahra Baker's 11th Birthday Gift: Swift Justice!!

D.A. Won't Rush For An Arrest In Zahra Baker Case


On what would have been her 11th birthday there are cards, toys and flowers outside the home in Hickory where Zahra Baker lived. But there also some new banners and signs hung on the house, signs with an angry tone.

One calls for justice for her father Adam Baker and her stepmother, Elisa Baker.

Another sign demands to know why the girl was "thrown out like the trash."

District Attorney James Gaither, who is handling the Investigation, said in a lengthy interview Tuesday that he will not pressure Police investigators to make an arrest.

"It is not my responsibility to push them or make something happen when the investigation is ongoing," Gaither said.

Gaither says he understands the growing frustration over what happened to the 10-year old girl who so many feel they have come to know and wish they could have helped.

Certainly the recovery of the remains of Zahra Baker was a critical part of the investigation but it doesn't mean that investigation is complete or that we are ready at this point to go forward with charges.

Gaither also raised questions about Lisa Dubbs, the lawyer who has been appointed to represent Elisa Baker if she is charged with murder. Gaither questioned why Dubbs and a private investigator working for her went out and picked up important physical evidence in the case.

Dubbs told NewsChannel 36 that Gaither should know that the defense always has the right to look for evidence. She says that in this case the unspecified item was brought to Gaither himself to prove that Elisa Baker would cooperate truthfully.

Gaither says that is a matter he will continue to look into.

"I believe there are some reasonable minds that differ on whether that is an appropriate function of defense council," said Gaither.




Zahra Baker's Stepmom Gave Explicit Details In Death


Zahra Baker's body was dismembered and the remains hidden across several rural locations, a court document said for the first time Monday, days after police said that the 10-year-old cancer survivor is dead.

The court filing is a motion by Zahra's stepmother, Elisa Baker, asking the court to reduce her $65,000 bond for obstruction of justice. The motion, filed Monday afternoon in Superior Court, provides specific and at times grisly details of what Elisa Baker says happened to the young girl's body.

The document doesn't indicate how Zahra died or who may be responsible, but the motion argues that Baker's bond should be reduced because of her extensive and continuing cooperation.

"The only credible evidence released to the public by law enforcement related to this case is evidence that was collected after Elisa Baker told law enforcement where to look and what to look for," the motion says.

Elisa Baker's attorneys met with her for two hours Monday, but declined to speak with reporters. They couldn't be reached for comment Monday night.

It wasn't clear Monday why Elisa Baker, in admitted some knowledge of Zahra's death, could be asking for a lower bond. Police haven't given a motive in the case.

Speculation has centered around Elisa and Adam Baker, Zahra's father, since shortly after the girl was reported missing on Oct. 9.

A family member interviewed by CNN's Nancy Grace described talking with Elisa Baker in jail.

"As we talked with her, she cried over missing Zahra and how her husband has left her to take all the blame for what has happened when he played a big part in this terrible situation," the cousin said in the interview. The cousin spoke on condition of anonymity because of death threats the family has received.

The owner of a crime memorabilia website is selling two letters he claims he received from Elisa Baker saying her stepdaughter, Zahra, is dead, and that her husband did something "horrifying" to the girl after her death.

"We didn't really kill her but what he did after the fact is kinda horrifying," says one of the letters Eric Gein claims he got from Elisa Baker, who is in jail. "Makes me scared of him."

In Monday's motion, they say she has been instrumental in the investigation into the death of the girl who moved to the United States from Australia in 2009, after her father Adam married Elisa Baker.

Zahra Baker, who was hearing-impaired and walked with the help of a prosthesis after losing her left leg to cancer, was reported missing by her father in a call to police.

On Friday, after more than a month of investigating, police said they had credible evidence that Zahra was dead, and had unearthed remains of a child they believe was Zahra.

Both Adam and Elisa Baker have denied any wrongdoing in the case. Elisa Baker was arrested on Oct. 10 on unrelated charges, then charged with obstruction of justice on Oct. 12 after investigators say she admitted writing a bogus ransom note.

According to Monday's motion to reduce bond, Elisa Baker told her attorneys on Oct. 22 that she had information about the disappearance and death of Zahra Baker.

Elisa Baker's defense attorneys notified police the next morning, indicating that Baker was willing to cooperate with investigators. But, they said, investigators had to move fast because weather could destroy evidence, according to the document.

Investigators were told that Zahra Baker was deceased, that her body had been dismembered and that body parts would be discovered at different sites. The defense team suggested that Baker needed to be present because of the remote locations of the sites.

Baker went out with law enforcement agents to three sites on Oct. 25, according to the court document. At each site, she described what would be found there and told officers where to look.

At one point, she was photographed by television news cameras inside a red SUV being driven by law enforcement agents.

The document says officers recovered the gel liner of the prosthetic leg near Christie Road in Hudson because of Baker. The site is near where Elisa Baker used to live.

Investigators also found evidence at two other sites because of Baker, the document says: a bone later identified as Zahra Baker's at the Christie Road site and remains believed to be those of Zahra Baker at another Caldwell County location along Dudley Shoals Road.

The document says Baker also directed investigators to other sites where possible evidence was located, including the dumpster where Zahra's mattress was discarded and undisclosed items found at the family's home.

Baker has continued to cooperate with authorities, the motion says. She was still in Catawba County jail Monday night. It was unclear Monday evening when a judge is expected to rule on the motion.


View Larger Map


Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, WCNC, Google Maps

Zahra Baker Was Murdered & Dismembered; N.C. DSS Fully Responsible!

Zahra Baker's Body Was Dismembered


Court Documents: Read The Full Motion


Court papers filed by an attorney for Elisa Baker detail how the stepmother of Zahra Baker told police the 10-year-old had been dismembered and where to find her body parts.

The new revelations came in a filing by attorney Lisa Dubbs, requesting a reduction in the bond for Elisa Baker who, according to the documents, cooperated with Police.

The court papers say Baker's cooperation began Oct. 24 when her defense team turned over a piece of evidence to investigators to prove her information was reliable.

The papers go on to say "that Zahra Baker was deceased, that her body had been dismembered, and that it would be recovered at different sites."

The next day Baker accompanied investigators to three different locations, including Christie Road in Caldwell County where investigators later found a bone, identified as coming from Zahra, and a prosthetic leg that was hers.

Another site identified by Baker, according to the court papers, was the Dudley Shoals Road area in a remote area of Caldwell County. It was at that location where investigators found human remains last week that they say are believed to be those of a child.

The remains have not yet been positively identified as being those of the little girl.

Investigators also returned to the Bakers' home in Hickory where the court paper says, "Since Ms. Baker began cooperating with law enforcement they have thoroughly examined her home and collected evidence consistent with the information she had provided."
The document also says it was Elisa Baker who told investigators about a mattress they were looking for and directed them to a Dumpster where she said it had been disposed of.

It was the mattress that was later found at a landfill.

Lisa Dubbs spent two hours Monday afternoon with Elisa Baker at the Catawba County Jail. As Dubbs was leaving, she refused to comment in any way about the case.









Mystery Deepens Over Slaying Of Zahra Baker

Police were confident a freckle-faced disabled 10-year-old girl was killed, but the mystery of how she died deepened when police said a set of remains was uncovered five miles away from where one of her bones was found.

The bone, discovered in some brush alongside Zahra Baker's prosthetic leg, was discovered in an area near where the family lived until mid-September. Zahra's stepmother, Elisa Baker, is currently in jail, charged with trying to throw off investigators with a bogus ransom note. Her father, Adam Baker, has been arrested on charges unrelated to Zahra's disappearance and is free on bail.

Recently, Elisa Baker began cooperating with police and led them to the areas where the remains and the bone were found, though she has not been charged in Zahra's death.

"I've been dreading this moment from early on in the investigation," said Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins, who explained that investigators matched the bone with the child's DNA. "We have recovered enough physical evidence to think we have found Zahra."

Soon after Zahra was reported missing, investigators cast doubt on accounts given by her father and stepmother. Police had trouble finding anyone other than Zahra's parents who had seen her alive in the weeks before her disappearance, and a suspicious early morning fire occurred at the family's home several hours before she was reported missing.

It was then that police discovered a ransom note addressed to Adam Baker's boss on the windshield of Baker's car. Police went to that man's house, and found him and his daughter to be fine. Elisa Baker, 42, admitted writing the note and has been charged with obstruction of justice, police said.

Adam Baker, 33, is facing one count each of assault with a deadly weapon and failure to return rental property, two counts of communicating threats and five counts of writing worthless checks, authorities said.

Zahra, whose cancer forced her to use a prosthetic leg and hearing aids, was reported missing by her parents Oct. 9. They said she was last seen in her bed at their home in Hickory, about 50 miles northwest of Charlotte.

Zahra was born in Australia and moved to North Carolina about two years ago after her father met his soon-to-be wife online. Zahra's friends and relatives in Giru, Australia, described her as an outgoing, happy girl despite the cancer, and said she didn't want to come to the U.S.

"Investigators, agents, officers and staff who worked on this case are devastated that we were not able to find Zahra alive and bring her home safely," said Adkins, who wouldn't answer any questions at a news conference.

District Attorney James Gaither Jr. refused to say if the girl was dismembered or if any more charges were imminent.

"I'm not going to discuss that right now," Gaither said.

Neighbors and relatives have said that Elisa Baker had a short temper and was abusive toward her stepdaughter. Caldwell County Department of Social Services investigated the family because Zahra went to school with bruises and a teacher alerted school officials, who have said they are prohibited by law from discussing the case.

Zahra's friends and family in Australia were less than thrilled when she moved away, especially since her medical treatments were free there. Kim Wright, who became something of a surrogate mother to Zahra in Australia, told The Associated Press they became friends four years ago at a cancer fundraising event. She was sitting in a chair waiting for her head to be shaved to raise money when Zahra approached, took her hand and told her not to be scared.

Zahra was diagnosed with bone cancer about five years ago. She had her leg amputated and a few months later, doctors discovered tumors in her lungs. She had chemotherapy, but the treatment led to a partial hearing loss. Still, she remained upbeat, attending a camp for children with cancer and inspiring her fellow campers by taking part in all the physical activities.


View Larger Map


Sources: WCNC, WRAL, Google Maps

Who Killed Zahra Baker? N.C. DSS & Family Responsible

Mystery Deepens Over Slaying Of Zahra Baker

Police were confident a freckle-faced disabled 10-year-old girl was killed, but the mystery of how she died deepened when police said a set of remains was uncovered five miles away from where one of her bones was found.

The bone, discovered in some brush alongside Zahra Baker's prosthetic leg, was discovered in an area near where the family lived until mid-September. Zahra's stepmother, Elisa Baker, is currently in jail, charged with trying to throw off investigators with a bogus ransom note. Her father, Adam Baker, has been arrested on charges unrelated to Zahra's disappearance and is free on bail.

Recently, Elisa Baker began cooperating with police and led them to the areas where the remains and the bone were found, though she has not been charged in Zahra's death.

"I've been dreading this moment from early on in the investigation," said Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins, who explained that investigators matched the bone with the child's DNA. "We have recovered enough physical evidence to think we have found Zahra."

Soon after Zahra was reported missing, investigators cast doubt on accounts given by her father and stepmother. Police had trouble finding anyone other than Zahra's parents who had seen her alive in the weeks before her disappearance, and a suspicious early morning fire occurred at the family's home several hours before she was reported missing.

It was then that police discovered a ransom note addressed to Adam Baker's boss on the windshield of Baker's car. Police went to that man's house, and found him and his daughter to be fine. Elisa Baker, 42, admitted writing the note and has been charged with obstruction of justice, police said.

Adam Baker, 33, is facing one count each of assault with a deadly weapon and failure to return rental property, two counts of communicating threats and five counts of writing worthless checks, authorities said.

Zahra, whose cancer forced her to use a prosthetic leg and hearing aids, was reported missing by her parents Oct. 9. They said she was last seen in her bed at their home in Hickory, about 50 miles northwest of Charlotte.

Zahra was born in Australia and moved to North Carolina about two years ago after her father met his soon-to-be wife online. Zahra's friends and relatives in Giru, Australia, described her as an outgoing, happy girl despite the cancer, and said she didn't want to come to the U.S.

"Investigators, agents, officers and staff who worked on this case are devastated that we were not able to find Zahra alive and bring her home safely," said Adkins, who wouldn't answer any questions at a news conference.

District Attorney James Gaither Jr. refused to say if the girl was dismembered or if any more charges were imminent.

"I'm not going to discuss that right now," Gaither said.

Neighbors and relatives have said that Elisa Baker had a short temper and was abusive toward her stepdaughter. Caldwell County Department of Social Services investigated the family because Zahra went to school with bruises and a teacher alerted school officials, who have said they are prohibited by law from discussing the case.

Zahra's friends and family in Australia were less than thrilled when she moved away, especially since her medical treatments were free there. Kim Wright, who became something of a surrogate mother to Zahra in Australia, told The Associated Press they became friends four years ago at a cancer fundraising event. She was sitting in a chair waiting for her head to be shaved to raise money when Zahra approached, took her hand and told her not to be scared.

Zahra was diagnosed with bone cancer about five years ago. She had her leg amputated and a few months later, doctors discovered tumors in her lungs. She had chemotherapy, but the treatment led to a partial hearing loss. Still, she remained upbeat, attending a camp for children with cancer and inspiring her fellow campers by taking part in all the physical activities.








Remains To be Confirmed As Zahra Baker

A source close to the investigation tells NewsChannel 36 Hickory Police will hold a 4 p.m. news briefing on Friday in which investigators will announce that remains found are in fact that of Zahra Baker. NewsChannel 36 and WCNC.com will carry the event live on television and online.

Hickory police confirmed that they will hold a press conference, but did not say anything specific about the reason or topic of the conference.

Zahra Baker was reported missing by her father and stepmother, Adam and Elisa Baker, on Oct. 9.

As police moved further into their investigation they discovered that no one, except for Adam and Elisa Baker, could confirm seeing Zahra after Sept. 25.

Elisa Baker was arrested on Oct. 10, the day after reporting Zahra missing, on charged unrelated to the child’s disappearance. She was charged with obstruction of justice in connection with the case on Oct. 11. Police say Elisa Baker wrote a bogus ransom note and refused to cooperate with investigators.

Adam Baker was arrested on Oct. 25 on five counts of writing worthless checks, two counts of communicating threats, assault with a deadly weapon and failure to return rental property.

Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins said at the beginning of the investigation that Adam Baker had outstanding warrants for worthless checks and that officers would execute those warrants at the appropriate time.

Police said Elisa Baker began talking to investigators on Sunday, but would not say if it was information from Elisa Baker that lead them to the search sites where they found evidence.

* On Oct. 25, a mattress was found in the Caldwell County landfill. It's still being tested for DNA, but police believe it belonged to Zahra.
* On Oct. 27, investigators uncovered the girl's prosthetic leg in the brush off Christie Road in Caldwell County.
* On Nov. 3, investigators discovered a bone at another search site. The bone is still being tested to determine if it belonged to Zahra.

The search for Zahra has grabbed international attention. The 10-year-old was born in Australia and lived there until moving to North Carolina two years ago. Zahra battled two forms of cancer before moving to the United States, bone cancer at age 5 and lung cancer a few years later.

Zahra's biological mother, Emily Dietrich, arrived in Hickory this week.







Zahra Baker's Biological Mom Arrives In Hickory


When Eddie Mitchell saw a woman with a camera crew kneeling outside the makeshift memorial at the Baker's home on 21st Street Ave. NW across the street from his, he didn't know what to expect.

When he walked over to speak with her, he says it was unnerving to see her face.

"When she got up and turned, it was like looking at Zahra," he said.

That woman was Emily Dietrich, who traveled to Hickory early Thursday from Australia with a camera crew from Channel Seven News in Australia. Dietrich is Zahra's biological mother. She tells Channel Seven she gave custody to Adam Baker when Zahra was a baby because she was suffering from post-partum depression. She says she'd been trying to locate her ex and their daughter when she learned that Zahra had disappeared.

"She was so emotional about the whole thing and she just said to tell the people that she's very, very grateful," Mitchell said.

It is not clear where else Dietrich visited, or if she is talking with investigators.

Hickory Police Thursday were tight-lipped about the investigation, though a source has confirmed that human remains discovered Wednesday are being tested at a state lab.

NewsChannel 36 has confirmed that Zahra's father Adam Baker, who is free on bond on unrelated charges, spoke with investigators at the Hickory Police Department Thursday. His lawyer, Mark Killian, was present. He says Baker is and has always been cooperating with the investigation.





Investigators Looking Into Elisa Baker's Finances


Nearly a month since 10-year-old Zahra Baker was first reported missing, her stepmother, Elisa Baker, remains in a jail cell.

Elisa Baker was charged with obstruction of justice in connection with Zahra's disappearance.

According to a cousin who paid a visit a visit to the Catawba County jail, Elisa Baker is upset and not doing well.

Baker’s cousin did not want NewsChannel 36 to use her name.

“This is very sad for us,” she said. “Our first concern is finding Zahra, the second is finding out the truth.”

Investigators say Elisa Baker has been cooperating in the investigation. She has been taken to sites where investigators have searched in the past weeks, including Christie Road in Caldwell County. Zahra’s prosthetic leg and a bone that could be human were both found in that area.

Baker’s cousin wouldn’t discuss any of the specifics of her conversations with Elisa.

"Sorry, but what our conversations are about have to be private. She's very upset."

Investigators issued a subpoena for Elisa Baker's financial records. The subpoena was issued to a bank branch located in a Wal-Mart in Granite Falls.

The subpoena says she may have used as many as eight different aliases and also requested any financial transactions made by Baker's daughter from a previous marriage, Amber Fairchild.

Baker's attorney would not comment on the subpoena. Police will only say it is part of the investigation.


View Larger Map


Sources: WBTV, WCNC, WRAL, Google Maps

Zahra Claire Baker's Remains Found By Hickory Police: R.I.P.

Remains To be Confirmed As Zahra Baker

A source close to the investigation tells NewsChannel 36 Hickory Police will hold a 4 p.m. news briefing on Friday in which investigators will announce that remains found are in fact that of Zahra Baker. NewsChannel 36 and WCNC.com will carry the event live on television and online.

Hickory police confirmed that they will hold a press conference, but did not say anything specific about the reason or topic of the conference.

Zahra Baker was reported missing by her father and stepmother, Adam and Elisa Baker, on Oct. 9.

As police moved further into their investigation they discovered that no one, except for Adam and Elisa Baker, could confirm seeing Zahra after Sept. 25.

Elisa Baker was arrested on Oct. 10, the day after reporting Zahra missing, on charged unrelated to the child’s disappearance. She was charged with obstruction of justice in connection with the case on Oct. 11. Police say Elisa Baker wrote a bogus ransom note and refused to cooperate with investigators.

Adam Baker was arrested on Oct. 25 on five counts of writing worthless checks, two counts of communicating threats, assault with a deadly weapon and failure to return rental property.

Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins said at the beginning of the investigation that Adam Baker had outstanding warrants for worthless checks and that officers would execute those warrants at the appropriate time.

Police said Elisa Baker began talking to investigators on Sunday, but would not say if it was information from Elisa Baker that lead them to the search sites where they found evidence.

* On Oct. 25, a mattress was found in the Caldwell County landfill. It's still being tested for DNA, but police believe it belonged to Zahra.
* On Oct. 27, investigators uncovered the girl's prosthetic leg in the brush off Christie Road in Caldwell County.
* On Nov. 3, investigators discovered a bone at another search site. The bone is still being tested to determine if it belonged to Zahra.

The search for Zahra has grabbed international attention. The 10-year-old was born in Australia and lived there until moving to North Carolina two years ago. Zahra battled two forms of cancer before moving to the United States, bone cancer at age 5 and lung cancer a few years later.

Zahra's biological mother, Emily Dietrich, arrived in Hickory this week.





Zahra Baker's Biological Mom Arrives In Hickory


When Eddie Mitchell saw a woman with a camera crew kneeling outside the makeshift memorial at the Baker's home on 21st Street Ave. NW across the street from his, he didn't know what to expect.

When he walked over to speak with her, he says it was unnerving to see her face.

"When she got up and turned, it was like looking at Zahra," he said.

That woman was Emily Dietrich, who traveled to Hickory early Thursday from Australia with a camera crew from Channel Seven News in Australia. Dietrich is Zahra's biological mother. She tells Channel Seven she gave custody to Adam Baker when Zahra was a baby because she was suffering from post-partum depression. She says she'd been trying to locate her ex and their daughter when she learned that Zahra had disappeared.

"She was so emotional about the whole thing and she just said to tell the people that she's very, very grateful," Mitchell said.

It is not clear where else Dietrich visited, or if she is talking with investigators.

Hickory Police Thursday were tight-lipped about the investigation, though a source has confirmed that human remains discovered Wednesday are being tested at a state lab.

NewsChannel 36 has confirmed that Zahra's father Adam Baker, who is free on bond on unrelated charges, spoke with investigators at the Hickory Police Department Thursday. His lawyer, Mark Killian, was present. He says Baker is and has always been cooperating with the investigation.





Investigators Looking Into Elisa Baker's Finances


Nearly a month since 10-year-old Zahra Baker was first reported missing, her stepmother, Elisa Baker, remains in a jail cell.

Elisa Baker was charged with obstruction of justice in connection with Zahra's disappearance.

According to a cousin who paid a visit a visit to the Catawba County jail, Elisa Baker is upset and not doing well.

Baker’s cousin did not want NewsChannel 36 to use her name.

“This is very sad for us,” she said. “Our first concern is finding Zahra, the second is finding out the truth.”

Investigators say Elisa Baker has been cooperating in the investigation. She has been taken to sites where investigators have searched in the past weeks, including Christie Road in Caldwell County. Zahra’s prosthetic leg and a bone that could be human were both found in that area.

Baker’s cousin wouldn’t discuss any of the specifics of her conversations with Elisa.

"Sorry, but what our conversations are about have to be private. She's very upset."

Investigators issued a subpoena for Elisa Baker's financial records. The subpoena was issued to a bank branch located in a Wal-Mart in Granite Falls.

The subpoena says she may have used as many as eight different aliases and also requested any financial transactions made by Baker's daughter from a previous marriage, Amber Fairchild.

Baker's attorney would not comment on the subpoena. Police will only say it is part of the investigation.


View Larger Map


Sources: WBTV, WCNC, Google Maps