Zahra Clare Baker #7 11/11/10 - 11/15/10

[crazybabyborg]

I didn't know when Emily would be leaving, but I'm sorry she'll miss the vigil Tuesday. I hoped it would give her comfort.

[Green Eyes]

Zahra's mother: My appreciation will be with you forever


Emily Dietrich, facing camera, gets a hug from a well-wisher Sunday outside the Hickory house where Zahra had lived. NATHAN RICHTER - Queensland Courier-Mail


HICKORY, N.C. -- Zahra Baker's mother tearfully expressed her thanks to investigators for their tireless work finding her daughter, and helping her "get her daughter back in her life."

Emily Dietrich headed home to Australia Sunday evening after spending an emotional four days in North Carolina. While here, she visited the memorial to her daughter outside the Bakers' former home, and listened as police gave her terrible news -- that remains found in Caldwell County belonged to Zahra.

Before she left, she sat down for an exclusive interview for NewsChannel 36, in which she called her painful journey "a blessing in disguise."

"I can't cry 24 hours a day," said Dietrich. "I do have to pick myself up and move forward at some point, and I also need to take a breath from the pain every now and then."

She took that breath Saturday night at the home of David and Lisa Ridgway, who live in northwest Hickory not far from the Bakers' former home. The Ridgways invited Dietrich to their home for dinner, for a chance to relax and clear her head from the events of the week.

"Your heart just aches and your heart goes out to her and her whole family," said Lisa Ridgway, as she and her husband prepared dinner with Dietrich.

"It's almost shocking to see her strength," said David Ridgway. "I know for a fact I wouldn't hold up as well as she's been doing."

Dietrich is clearly touched by the outpouring of support for her daughter by the community. As hard as it was for her to see the memorial in front of the Bakers' former home, she is glad she visited.

"It brought me closer to her," she explained. "As much as I was disgusted to look at the house, she was there -- and that took me that step closer to her. And to see the tokens that everybody had left for her and the letters.." She expressed a heartfelt thanks to everyone in Hickory who has rallied to her daughter's cause.

"Even in the middle of all this awfulness, I've seen the beauty that is in North Carolina, and I've seen the beauty of the people and the places in Hickory," she said.

Dietrich said when she gets home, she will celebrate Zahra's birthday, which is Tuesday. Zahra would be 11. She and a friend will make dinner and a cake – one with purple icing and a "My Little Pony" on top.

Her next step will be to work with the consulate to bring Zahra's body home for a burial in Australia.

But before she left, her most emotional gratitude was saved for law enforcement officers who worked on Zahra's case.

"My appreciation will be with you forever," she said tearfully. "I will never forget everything you have done to change my life.. thank you."

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/11/15/1840100/zahras-mother-my-appreciation.html

My heart goes out to Emily. I wish she could have stayed for the Memorial on Tuesday.

[Monkey King]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/mother-or-murdered-australian-girl-zahra-baker/story-e6freooo-1225953575231

Mother of murdered Australian girl Zahra Baker crushed by death
Tuck Thompson and agencies From: AP November 15, 2010 6:57AM
 
Emily Dietrich with Zahra after giving birth. Hit by post-natal depression, she handed custody to the girl's father, Adam Baker. 

THE Australian biological mother of the disabled girl whose remains were found in North Carolina is devastated by her daughter's death but buoyed by support from the community where the 10-year-old lived.


"Still hurt, still crushed,'' Emily Dietrich told the Australia-based Seven Network.

Dietrich lives in Australia - where her daughter, Zahra Baker, lived until her father moved to the US - and is now in Hickory, North Carolina.

That's the town where Zahra lived with her father and stepmother before she was reported missing more than a month ago.

"It didn't make a difference trying to prepare myself,'' Dietrich said.

"It didn't make a difference to anybody. As hard as it was to hear the news they were telling me, it was just as hard to watch them cry while they told me and apologized to me. All they wanted was to find her and bring her back alive.''

Ms Dietrich visited the memorial outside Zahra's Hickory home, which has attracted hundreds of grieving and angry people waiting for an arrest.

Vehicles at times were parked 120m along the road outside the rundown brick home where the 10-year-old, formerly of Giru near Townsville, and Newcastle, lived with her father and stepmother before she was reported missing on October 9.

Police announced human remains recovered in bushland near a creek and rural road matched Zahra's DNA from the home. Zahra, who lost part of her leg to bone cancer, wore a prosthetic leg that was recovered from a dump.

Visitors to the shrine to Zahra left balloons to mark her 11th birthday, which would have been tomorrow. A growing pile of colourful stuffed animals, flowers, cards and posters with messages contrasted with the shuttered home half-gutted after police removed items.

Zahra's stepmother, Elisa, is in jail on a variety of charges, including obstruction of justice for allegedly writing a $1 million fake ransom note to her husband's lumber company boss who owned the home. She is on an unsecured bond.

Husband Adam Baker was released from jail after being charged with passing bad cheques. He has forfeited his Australia passport to police and is considered a suspect in Zahra's death.

The Bakers told a court they were living only on one wage of about $500 a month from Mr Baker's lumber mill job.

Mr Baker reported Zahra missing on October 9 but police said she disappeared much earlier. One of the largest missing persons' searches in North Carolina history began in multiple locations in three counties, focusing on bushland near former residences of Mrs Baker.

Angry residents want a fast resolution to the case and arrests are expected this week.

North Carolina has a very liberal discovery process that allows defence attorneys access to evidence immediately after charges are brought.

That is seen as reason for police to proceed slowly if there is no flight risk for suspects. Investigators say forensic test results are still pending.

**MORE AT LINK~

[Monkey King]

Reading through the other forums I found this by a poster on Valhall's TheHinkyMeter:

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2010/11/05/zahra-baker-case-search-continues-on-christie-road/#comments

(Both posts can be found on same link, just scroll down-MK)

» Hickory native said: { Nov 5, 2010 - 03:11:22 }
The bone was human, it was estimated to be a childs, consistent with Zarah’s age.
This was determined before it was ever sent to the state. The arm was a bone from the arm.

I posted this last night – my thoughts on Zarah’s cancer – but it isn’t on the board today and I can’t imagine that I posted something that had to be deleted.

I work in the medical profession, I am a cancer survivor. Zarah’s lung cancer was
probably the spread of her original bone cancer. Lungs are a primary site for
spread of cancer. It makes me angry and upset that Zarah never received any follow up care for her cancer in the time she was here. The thoughts keep going through my
mind – had the cancer returned, was she in pain. Did she pass from her cancer returning and they disposed of her so they would not be charged for child neglect, etc.

My heart breaks for the biomom and Zarah. She deserves to be found; justice served.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


» Hickory native said: { Nov 5, 2010 - 04:11:01 }
I have a close friend whose spouse works at HPD. To protect my friend and spouse, will not give names, etc. I also work in the medical profession myself. That is why I have been sure of what I was posting.

[Leroy]

I didn't know when Emily would be leaving, but I'm sorry she'll miss the vigil Tuesday. I hoped it would give her comfort.

I think her being home with her other children may be more comforting for her.  Though I did hope & think she would stay for the vigil.

I wonder if they will be arresting AB today?  That may be another reason for her leaving yesterday -- she did say she wasn't sure how she would handle finding out AB was involved.

Also, I think she must be pretty certain that she will get Zahra's remains back to AUS -- otherwise I dont think she would leave just yet.  MO

[Monkey King]

So, according to the above post by me, #843, Hickory Native, alleges the first individual bone which was located, (where the prosthetic leg was found at the Christie Road site) was a child's arm bone.

If that is the case, then perhaps the theory that both arms were run through the woodchipper can be ruled out.  (This case is horrific enough, if we can minimize the visciousness and the incredibile brutality, I'd like to step in that direction)

[Nut44x4]

Perhaps they were receiving some sort of disability check for her care...if she were to 'go missing', they would still get the $ (until many years passed and she was declared legally dead). This thought may have already been discussed. It could be a combo of fear of neglect charges, if she died....plus the $ .

[Monkey King]

There's going to be a whole lotta charges, me thinks!!

Everything from how they got into this country, filing false police reports, tampering with evidence, murder-, abuse of a corpse, fraud- recieving public assistance- you name it!

[Monkey King]

Perhaps they were receiving some sort of disability check for her care...if she were to 'go missing', they would still get the $ (until many years passed and she was declared legally dead). This thought may have already been discussed. It could be a combo of fear of neglect charges, if she died....plus the $ .

Nut, with these two deviants anything is possible!

[klaasend]

Reading through the other forums I found this by a poster on Valhall's TheHinkyMeter:

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2010/11/05/zahra-baker-case-search-continues-on-christie-road/#comments

(Both posts can be found on same link, just scroll down-MK)

» Hickory native said: { Nov 5, 2010 - 03:11:22 }
The bone was human, it was estimated to be a childs, consistent with Zarah’s age.
This was determined before it was ever sent to the state. The arm was a bone from the arm.

I posted this last night – my thoughts on Zarah’s cancer – but it isn’t on the board today and I can’t imagine that I posted something that had to be deleted.

I work in the medical profession, I am a cancer survivor. Zarah’s lung cancer was
probably the spread of her original bone cancer. Lungs are a primary site for
spread of cancer. It makes me angry and upset that Zarah never received any follow up care for her cancer in the time she was here. The thoughts keep going through my
mind – had the cancer returned, was she in pain. Did she pass from her cancer returning and they disposed of her so they would not be charged for child neglect, etc.

My heart breaks for the biomom and Zarah. She deserves to be found; justice served.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


» Hickory native said: { Nov 5, 2010 - 04:11:01 }
I have a close friend whose spouse works at HPD. To protect my friend and spouse, will not give names, etc. I also work in the medical profession myself. That is why I have been sure of what I was posting.

On September 25th, two weeks before she was reported missing, Zahra was seen in the furniture store and according to them she looked good and well cared for.  Does not sound like a child who died two weeks later from cancer.

[klaasend]

http://charlotte.news14.com/content/top_stories/632770/vigils-planned-to-honor-zahra--search-for-evidence-continues

7:10 AM
Vigils planned to honor Zahra; search for evidence continues

By: Becky Bereiter

CHARLOTTE -- Hickory Police say two-man search crews are back at various locations Monday looking for more evidence into the Zahra Baker investigation. This news comes three days after an emotional press conference from Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins, who said they had received enough evidence to believe they have found the little girl's body.

It's still an emotional time for family members and the Hickory community as they wait for more answers in this case. Meanwhile, attention Tuesday turns to celebrating Zahra's life on what would have been her 11th birthday.

News 14 Carolina has learned people all over the world are holding events Tuesday in Australia, Canada, Georgia, Ohio and, of course, in North Carolina.

In an interview with Australia's 7 News, Zahra's biological mother, Emily Dietrich, said she's proud of how her daughter's smile has brought the world together and has brought compassion back to people's hearts. She also said she's incredibly thankful for the support and compassion brought forth by investigators throughout this entire process.

"As hard as it was to hear what they were telling me, it was just as hard to sit there and watch them cry as they told me and apologized to me and couldn't find her and bring her back to me," said Dietrich. "All they wanted was to bring them back to me alive. You could see the pain when they were telling me that it wasn't going to happen."

A vigil will be held in Hickory for Zahra Tuesday. It will run from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Union Square downtown. Organizers say any toys brought by attendees will be donated to the local Christmas bureau. Adkins is planning to speak at that vigil, as well.

[sassifrass]

NRCG & Monkeys:

The beautiful pics that Brandi and CBB made of Zahra were sent off to Emily. I hope this gives her some comfort. 

[Monkey King]

Reading through the other forums I found this by a poster on Valhall's TheHinkyMeter:

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2010/11/05/zahra-baker-case-search-continues-on-christie-road/#comments

(Both posts can be found on same link, just scroll down-MK)

» Hickory native said: { Nov 5, 2010 - 03:11:22 }
The bone was human, it was estimated to be a childs, consistent with Zarah’s age.
This was determined before it was ever sent to the state. The arm was a bone from the arm.

I posted this last night – my thoughts on Zarah’s cancer – but it isn’t on the board today and I can’t imagine that I posted something that had to be deleted.

I work in the medical profession, I am a cancer survivor. Zarah’s lung cancer was
probably the spread of her original bone cancer. Lungs are a primary site for
spread of cancer. It makes me angry and upset that Zarah never received any follow up care for her cancer in the time she was here. The thoughts keep going through my
mind – had the cancer returned, was she in pain. Did she pass from her cancer returning and they disposed of her so they would not be charged for child neglect, etc.

My heart breaks for the biomom and Zarah. She deserves to be found; justice served.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


» Hickory native said: { Nov 5, 2010 - 04:11:01 }
I have a close friend whose spouse works at HPD. To protect my friend and spouse, will not give names, etc. I also work in the medical profession myself. That is why I have been sure of what I was posting.

On September 25th, two weeks before she was reported missing, Zahra was seen in the furniture store and according to them she looked good and well cared for.  Does not sound like a child who died two weeks later from cancer.

I agree, Klaas. 

They'll test all the remains they have and should see evidence of prior chemo within the bones themselves.  I don't know how well preserved the tissues are (buried remains tend to decomp at a slower rate).  Between the remaining tissues, bones, etc., I pray they can come up with a cause of death.

The reason for reposting these posts were, if Hickory Native is correct, and is friends with a spouse of a HPD person, and they are correct~ the bone located at the Christie Road site, where the prosthetic leg was located, was consistant with a child's arm.

[Monkey King]

Sassi~

Are you going to the vigil?

[no rose colored glasses]

I appreciate the explanation of how a young girl would have gotten lung cancer, I didn't want to ask, and what was posted made sense 

[sassifrass]

Sassi~

Are you going to the vigil?

MK, that would be a really long drive for me! I live in Oregon! 

[Monkey King]

Sassi~

Are you going to the vigil?

MK, that would be a really long drive for me! I live in Oregon! 

I knew that!  

There was a little speculation about weither you would be attending or not based on getting the pics to Emily.

Drop me an email.
MK

[sassifrass]

Sassi~

Are you going to the vigil?

MK, that would be a really long drive for me! I live in Oregon! 

I knew that!  

There was a little speculation about weither you would be attending or not based on getting the pics to Emily.

Drop me an email.
MK

MK,  back at ya! 

I sent the pics via email MK. This way she can print them off or even make wallpaper on her computer where she can see Zahra all time.

[Monkey King]

Sassi~

Are you going to the vigil?

MK, that would be a really long drive for me! I live in Oregon! 

I knew that!   

There was a little speculation about weither you would be attending or not based on getting the pics to Emily.

Drop me an email.
MK

MK,  back at ya! 

I sent the pics via email MK. This way she can print them off or even make wallpaper on her computer where she can see Zahra all time.

That was very nice of you.

I'm glad Emily was able to come to this country, despite the circumstances, and
meet with compassionate people. 

[no rose colored glasses]

That's a great idea, she could use the pics as wallpaper on her computer