Zahra Clare Baker #2 10/13/10 - 10/16/10

[Northern Rose]

I would like to think that Adam and SM were fighting, (per the next door neighbor at apartment) because Dad did not like how SM was treating Zahra but that is probably wishful thinking..At the very least he could have been more aware and in tune with what was happening with his daughter when he was not there...Sounds like SM just took over with the care and decision making of what happened to his daughter and he let it happen...If he was not involved directly in her disappearance and apparent death, he is culpable for ignoring the progressive abuse that his daughter suffered from this woman...Shame on him....he could have gotten rid of SM and protected Z but he chose not to and now look what happened...

I don't believe he ever took responsibility for Zahra. He lived with his parents after the divorce and his parents took care of her. When he married SM he continued his normal ways and let her do it. He never was a father to her.

My thoughts as well. He was looking for a mommy figure with fringe benefits.  At some point even a muppet needs to take the hand out of its arse and learn to walk alone. Unfortunately for Zahra he never got that hand out. 

[pink angel]

Remembering Zahra Baker

While law enforcement and emergency officials search various areas for signs of a missing 10-year-old girl, school children, teachers and administrators from Caldwell County who knew her have been dealing with the mysteries surrounding her disappearance and possible death.

Zahra Clare Baker was reported missing over the weekend by her father Adam Baker and stepmother Elisa Baker, but Hickory police do not believe their story about the last time they saw her in her bed.

The girl, who used hearing aids and a prosthetic leg because of bone cancer, has been presumed dead by investigators with the Hickory Police Department, an announcement made earlier this week by Chief Tom Adkins. Crews have been searching various locations in Catawba County, Burke County and Sawmills, where the family once lived before moving to Hickory, but they have not located any sign of Zahra.

Elisa Baker, who has been described by former neighbors as having a nasty temper and accused of beating Zahra, has been jailed, accused of trying to throw off investigators with a fake ransom note. She also faces charged unrelated to the case and appeared in court Wednesday.

Authorities think Zahra was alive about a month ago when the family moved to Hickory from Sawmills.

Zahra attended Granite Falls and Hudson elementary schools while she lived in Caldwell County, last attending Hudson during the 2009-2010 school year.

Caldwell County Schools Community Services Director Libby Brown said school officials began checking into Zahra’s enrollment status when she did not show up for classes at the start of the school year. They were told by her parents that she had been withdrawn from the system because the family had moved to another district.

Many of the teachers and students in Caldwell County still remember the 10-year-old.

“They do remember her,” Brown said. “The school has been impacted because of the remembrance of her. Personnel and students at the school definitely have been affected by the disappearance of Zahra and coming to terms with the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. It’s been very disturbing.”

Sharing information provided to her by Hudson Elementary’s administration, Brown described Zahra as a child who was very conscientious and wanted to help others despite her own physical issues.

“She was a very bright young lady who had a sweet nature about her,” Brown said. “She was very well-known in her class and very well-liked.”

Brown shared a story of Zahra and another student picking up trash around the school and the desire the young lady had to do things to help the environment, like starting a club focused on doing that at the school

“With all her challenges in life, she still wanted to do things for others and her school,” Brown said of Zahra. “That tells you about her personality and the type of young lady she was.”

Brown said the school system has provided support at the schools for students and staff members. The system activated its Clergy Crisis Team and had additional counselors available to help them deal with any matters related to the tragic events tied to the girl’s disappearance.
http://www.newstopic.net/pages/full_story/push?article-Remembering+Zahra+Baker%20&id=9919106&instance=main_article

[Northern Rose]

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) – Authorities have essentially reached a dead end in their search a girl from Hickory who is missing and new details are surfacing about the girl's stepmother.

On Wednesday and Thursday, law enforcement officers combed the woods of a 60-acre tract of land in Burke County looking for Zahra Claire Baker, but they were unable to find anything.

She was reported missing by her father, Adam Baker, nearly a week ago on Saturday, Oct. 9, at their Hickory home located in Catawba County.

Adam Baker and his daughter are originally from Australia.  He met his 42-year-old wife, Elisa, online and two years ago, both he and his daughter, moved to North Carolina to live with Elisa.

Elisa Baker is currently being held in the Catawba County jail on a felony obstruction of justice charge.  Police say she wrote a fake ransom letter to purposely throw off investigators in their search for the missing girl.

WBTV has uncovered new details about Elise Baker.  She has been married at least three times, and she had children with two boyfriends.

Baker is originally from Burke County.  Her parents are Marshall Thomas Fairchild and Sylvia Jean Fairchild.  The mother's maiden name is Barnes.

Baker has at least three biological children in which we were able to find information about.

According to Myspace and Facebook, one of Baker's daughters is Brittany Starbuck.

Her second daughter is Amber Fairchild whose father is Christopher Frank Hicks.  Elise was never married to him.

She also has a son named Douglas Proctor and his father is Douglas Joseph Proctor.  Baker's son claims he only saw his stepsister, Zahra, once or twice.

Baker's first marriage was in 1985 to Jerry Alan Winkler in Caldwell County.  In 1997, she was married to Jeffrey Russell Allred in Caldwell County.

Her third marriage was to Adam Baker, whom she met online.  They were married about two years ago.

We were unable to find a record of Elisa and Adam's marriage in North Carolina, but it is possible they were married elsewhere or possibly in Australia.  There is a picture of them holding a marriage certificate on Amber Fairchild's myspace page.

We also found several pictures from Amber's page including photos of Zahra with her prosthetic leg, Adam and Elisa, Elisa with a blackeye, and Elisa with Zahra.

We were unable to find any convictions on file against Elisa Baker with the North Carolina Department of Corrections.

http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13329351

She has been married at least three times, and she had children with two boyfriends.

Baker is originally from Burke County.  Her parents are Marshall Thomas Fairchild and Sylvia Jean Fairchild.  The mother's maiden name is Barnes.

Baker has at least three biological children in which we were able to find information about.

According to Myspace and Facebook, one of Baker's daughters is Brittany Starbuck.

Her second daughter is Amber Fairchild whose father is Christopher Frank Hicks.  Elise was never married to him.

She also has a son named Douglas Proctor and his father is Douglas Joseph Proctor.  Baker's son claims he only saw his stepsister, Zahra, once or twice.

Baker's first marriage was in 1985 to Jerry Alan Winkler in Caldwell County.  In 1997, she was married to Jeffrey Russell Allred in Caldwell County.

Her third marriage was to Adam Baker, whom she met online.  They were married about two years ago.

We were unable to find a record of Elisa and Adam's marriage in North Carolina, but it is possible they were married elsewhere or possibly in Australia.  There is a picture of them holding a marriage certificate on Amber Fairchild's myspace page.
 

So she only had kids with boyfriends and not her husbands?  I am wondering how long each of her marriages lasted?

[Northern Rose]

I can't imagine the horror that the Mim's are having right now, to realize a child was living up in the attic and it wasn't squirrels. 

The only question I have about living in the attic...would it not be very difficult for her to get in the attic...most stairs go straight up..

Guess I am hoping it was squirrels.

I am not sure this attic had stairs .  The article said there were shoe marks on the door frame.  I have a attic hatch in a closet and it is just a hatch without stairs.  You have to get a ladder to get up there or boost someone up or climb up the closet organizer.  There is no room for a ladder to fold out or come straight out.

[Monkey King]

So, it's possible Zahra went up there to get away from the step mother and father, like it was her "Happy Place".

[pink angel]

Mixed feelings about this "blogger" article. Hate the title.

Dear Zahra: I’m glad you’re dead
http://current.com/1ruk34c

Please do not quote this post, the title of the blog is disturbing

[Sister]

So, it's possible Zahra went up there to get away from the step mother and father, like it was her "Happy Place".

Monkey King, that's what I am feeling in my spirit.  She found a haven away from evil where she could lay on the drywall bed, close her eyes, and be anyone or anywhere she wanted to be.

[Sister]

Mixed feelings about this "blogger" article. Hate the title.

Dear Zahra: I’m glad you’re dead
http://current.com/1ruk34c
Please do not quote this post, the title of the blog is disturbing

Pink, I have mixed feeling too.  Lots of pain and even more "controlled" anger.  I pray it's controlled anger!

[Northern Rose]

We were unable to find a record of Elisa and Adam's marriage in North Carolina, but it is possible they were married elsewhere or possibly in Australia.  There is a picture of them holding a marriage certificate on Amber Fairchild's myspace page 

Building in the background of both of these looks the same.  Can anyone make out what the certificate says?

[pink angel]

We were unable to find a record of Elisa and Adam's marriage in North Carolina, but it is possible they were married elsewhere or possibly in Australia.  There is a picture of them holding a marriage certificate on Amber Fairchild's myspace page 

Building in the background of both of these looks the same.  Can anyone make out what the certificate says?

They were married in Australia, July of 08. They moved to the states, in Nov/Dec.

[Northern Rose]

Former classmates, teachers pray for Zahra (with video)

HUDSON, N.C. -- Friends and teachers of 10-year-old Zahra Baker filled the First Baptist Church of Hudson Thursday night to pray for a little girl they knew.

Though many strangers have been touched by the story of the disappearance of the hearing impaired cancer survivor with a prosthetic leg, the people at Hudson Elementary knew Zahra from the months she spent there in third and fourth grade.

The principal tells NewsChannel 36 they thought  Zahra would come back there this year, not knowing her family had moved to nearby Hickory. Investigators say they were told her stepmother, Elisa, was homeschooling her this year.

Baker's parents reported her missing Saturday. Monday, police announced that the search for the 10-year-old is a homicide investigation. Police are still questioning her stepmother Elisa, who is in jail on a felony obstruction of justice charge, and her father Adam. Her body has not been discovered.

"It's just really upsetting. I’ve been crying myself to sleep every night," classmate Alliy Merkwa said.

"In our classroom, we’ve been talking about it. We drew pictures for her," Brittany Helton explained.
 
Parents and teachers have been forced to explain many heavy topics as this case unfolds--the possibility that Zahra is dead, the suspicion on her parents, and the allegations that Zahra was abused in her home.
"I would have though that since she was such a sweet girl and everything that she would have told one of us," Merkwa said.

"This is a small town. We never have this kind of stuff, and it's just really touched the hearts of lots of people," mom Denise Dotson said. "They're all suffering here. It's a little girl they went to school with."

Inside the vigil, the school's principal fondly remembered how a little girl from Australia showed up in Hudson for school two years ago. She said Zahra had a great spirit--a nonchalance about her disabilities--and a big smile.

Like so many people across the country, the pastor here prayed for Zahra's safe return, all the while acknowledging that it looks unlikely, and praying also that she rest in peace.

http://www.wcnc.com/home/Forme-105003004.html

[pink angel]

We were unable to find a record of Elisa and Adam's marriage in North Carolina, but it is possible they were married elsewhere or possibly in Australia.  There is a picture of them holding a marriage certificate on Amber Fairchild's myspace page 

Building in the background of both of these looks the same.  Can anyone make out what the certificate says?

They were married in Australia, July of 08. They moved to the states, in Nov/Dec.

They were married that July in a small ceremony in Adam Baker's parents' backyard. In November, they moved to North Carolina. The family was less than thrilled, especially since Zahra's medical treatments were free in Australia.

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20101015/UPDATES01/310150021/Friends++NC+girl+Zahra+Clare+Baker+had+happy+life+in+Australia

[bananas]

I hate it that we have taken a report of she "possibly" was sleeping in the attic and made it real and keep embellishing the story even.  I am not defending anyone but this kind of thing gets so out of hand here any more.  It is just as bad as the sensationalism so many of you claim to hate on NG.

[Terri]

Mixed feelings about this "blogger" article. Hate the title.

Dear Zahra: I’m glad you’re dead
http://current.com/1ruk34c

Good morning monkeys,

WHOAW!! What an article.  Like you, I have mixed feelings but it was raw truth.  More raw than I want to face.  But there are some of us that made it.  After the early helpless years, then humiliating and trashy teens, mentally ill early twenties, got it together and found our dignity, our worth, and our ability to give our own families the love and security we only read about.  Zahra (and the author of the blog ) may have experienced the raw ugliness, but there could have been one incredible dawn just ahead.

Terri

[mariloo]

We were unable to find a record of Elisa and Adam's marriage in North Carolina, but it is possible they were married elsewhere or possibly in Australia.  There is a picture of them holding a marriage certificate on Amber Fairchild's myspace page 

Building in the background of both of these looks the same.  Can anyone make out what the certificate says?

 

[Northern Rose]

We were unable to find a record of Elisa and Adam's marriage in North Carolina, but it is possible they were married elsewhere or possibly in Australia.  There is a picture of them holding a marriage certificate on Amber Fairchild's myspace page 

Building in the background of both of these looks the same.  Can anyone make out what the certificate says?

They were married in Australia, July of 08. They moved to the states, in Nov/Dec.

Thank you

[Terri]

Is it just the photo or did the stepmonster loose a large amount of weight in less than two years? 

Terri

[no rose colored glasses]

Is it just the photo or did the stepmonster loose a large amount of weight in less than two years? 

Terri

A large amount 

[mariloo]

Is it just the photo or did the stepmonster loose a large amount of weight in less than two years? 

Terri

She did and prolly due to drug abuse.

[no rose colored glasses]

Is it just the photo or did the stepmonster loose a large amount of weight in less than two years? 

Terri

She did and prolly due to drug abuse.

Oh yes, even though she was overweight she still appeared to look somewhat healthy. Now she doesn't at all.