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

[Brandi]

Brandi in the second shot is that a hole or an illusion?

The bulldozer or front end loader, I don't know the difference ... just made that by clearing wood and some earth for the dog to work on.

It is a bit of a trench, I'd say.

 

Are you watching live?  Wish I could see!!  I am on old pooter that needs newer Flash drive installed and I don't have that authority.  Dang it!!

It is pre-taped chopper video. Not live.

[Puzzler]

O/T...sorry...has the timing been adjusted?  I went into my profile and set the timing...was okay then...now I come back onto SM and the timing is off again?

TIA

[Brandi]

O/T...sorry...has the timing been adjusted?  I went into my profile and set the timing...was okay then...now I come back onto SM and the timing is off again?

TIA

I fixed mine by adding the + sign. Instead of 1 in the box, +1 did it.

So try using the + or - in yours.

[Puzzler]

O/T...sorry...has the timing been adjusted?  I went into my profile and set the timing...was okay then...now I come back onto SM and the timing is off again?

TIA

I fixed mine by adding the + sign. Instead of 1 in the box, +1 did it.

So try using the + or - in yours.

Brandi - TY - it worked!

[Northern Rose]

Drug use kept relatives from contacting DSS about Zahra

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Two women who have spoken about the family stability involving a missing girl from Hickory now claim one of them was addicted to drugs – and that contributed to why they never directly called authorities about possible problems at the missing girl's home.

Brittney Bentley, who was married to the nephew of Elisa Baker, told WBT Radio on Wednesday that she was a drug addict and that she was sorry for not contacting the North Carolina Department of Social Services after allegedly observing problems pertaining to Zahra Claire Baker's home life.

Full Coverage: The Search for Zahra

Elisa Baker, the stepmother of Zahra, is considered a "person of interest" by police in the disappearance the 10-year-old child. Baker, also charged with felony obstruction of justice in the case, is being held in the Catawba County Jail on a $72,200 bond as crews search for her missing stepdaughter, Zahra.

Bentley claimed on WBT's Tara Servatius Show that she told her mother, Kim Drum, about issues that Zahra was subjected to, but Drum says she never contacted DSS either.

"No… I never called DSS," Drum said, adding that she regrets "…it very, very much" as authorities now fear Zahra is dead. Police called off an AMBER Alert Tuesday and now are investigating the case as a homicide.

Drum and Bentley surfaced in news accounts earlier this week as the first family members to talk about Zahra's family experiences. Bentley, who says she has been in drug recovery for 3 months, says she is no longer married to Elisa Baker's nephew. (Drum and Bentley said much more on WBT Radio -- listen to the audio file on this page)
http://www.wbtv.com/global/link.asp?l=461183

Bentley claims she told her mother, Drum, who was supposed to tell DSS about the problems. But, Drum, who said she knew her daughter was hooked on drugs, did not believe her daughter's claims of Zahra's home problems.

The two women claim that, although they never called DSS themselves, they did "make sure" DSS investigated the case. Although they did not actually explain on WBT Radio how they made sure that happened, they claim to have seen DSS agents at the Baker's house.

Drum also said that she kept Zahra on weekends about every six weeks. Drum told WBT Radio that Zahra never complained about Elisa Baker and that all she ever saw wrong with Zahra was a very faint black eye. Drum said that Zahra told her the injury was from running into a doorknob.

"I didn't know what to believe at the time," Drum said, about conflicting information from her daughter and Zahra.
"At that time in Brittney's life… she … Brittney was on drugs."

http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13324177

[Northern Rose]

Search resumes for missing Hickory girl

HICKORY, NC (WBTV) - Search crews are involved in an intense ground search at a location in Burke County in an effort to find a missing 10-year-old Hickory girl who officials fear may be dead.

Officials are in the Hartland community searching property owned by Real Tree Services.  They have divided the property into a grid and have assigned searchers to examine the entire property.

Authorities say they either want to find Zahra Claire Baker's body, or be able to say that she's not there.  They're hopeful that by the time the exhaustive search is over, to eliminate this site as a possible location for the girl's body.

The reason why officials are searching this area is because Zahra's father, Adam Baker, works for a company which disposes brush and other landscaping debris at the property.

Also on Thursday, the Associated Press reported that Zahra may have been alive when her family moved to a new home in Hickory in mid-September.

However, investigators are still having trouble finding anyone outside Zahra's household who has seen the girl alive in recent months.  The uncertain timeframe has made it difficult for investigators to narrow down places to search for her.

Hickory Police Deputy Chief Clyde Deal said Thursday they're still working on the timeline.  He would not elaborate about why authorities think the girl was alive when the family moved from the nearby town of Sawmills.

Full Coverage:  The Search for Zahra

During the search for the girl Wednesday night, crews at the Real Tree Services property drained a small pond.  It took workers more than two hours to lower the water level enough to determine that Zahra's body was not there.

The pond is on the same property where heavy equipment was used Tuesday night to examine a huge brush pile.  Investigators were checking to see if Zahra's body was hidden among the pile of limbs and debris.

This is the same area where cadaver dogs combed wood piles and thickets in hopes of finding Zahra, but they did not find anything.

Hickory Police officials say they will continue to search any site that holds promise of providing a clue as to where the girl may be or what happened to her. 

Investigators are urging anyone who knows something about the case to call the Hickory Police Department.

"Somebody knows something, and we need them to come forward," said Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins.

Other parts of Burke County have been looked at as well including the old Henry River Mill Village which was searched on Sunday.

Police are calling Zahra's stepmother, Elisa Annette Baker, 42, a person of interest in the girl's disappearance.  Baker appeared in court Wednesday morning after being charged Monday with felony obstruction of justice.

MORE...

http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13297637

[Northern Rose]

Stories about missing Hickory girl dominates Australian headlines

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) – Most places you go, people throughout the Charlotte region are talking about the disappearance of the 10-year-old girl from Hickory.  The circumstances of this story has caught the attention of the national media as well as the press in Australia where the girl was born.

Zahra Claire Baker was reported missing by her father, Adam Baker, last weekend at their home in Hickory.  An AMBER alert was immediately issued, but it was canceled just three days later after police said the case had turned into a homicide investigation.

Zahra's stepmother, Elise Baker, is currently sitting in jail in Catawba County.  For now, the stepmother is only charged with felony obstruction of justice and other misdemeanor charges which are unrelated to the case.  Police say the felony charge is the because Baker admitted to writing a fake ransom note which was found at the house.

Nearly any local television or radio station, or newspaper, is carrying the unfolding developments of the story.

We decided to take a look "down under" at what the press in Australia is reporting on this story.

Friends and family tell us that Zahra and her father are originally from Australia.

The Daily Telegraph reports that "Zahra was born in the NSW country town of Wagga Wagga and spent time in Newcastle before moving north to Townsville before relocating to North Carolina with her father."

Family members tell us the father moved to North Carolina after meeting Elisa online.  They were married two years ago and have lived in various places in the Hickory area.

We already knew that Zahra was a bone cancer survivor and that she used hearing aids.  Those details surface shortly after she was reported missing.

The Australian also reports that Zahra "…had her lower left leg amputated five years ago as a result of bone cancer, which also damaged her hearing."

The Daily Telegraph reports that Zahra has "twice beaten cancer."

Many have wondered -- where is Zahra's birth mother?

Family and friends told WBTV the birth mother gave Zahra up when she was a child.  The Daily Telegraph reports "Zahra's mother still lives in Australia" but there is no other mention of her.   

A more disturbing element of this story which is surfacing relates to the alleged abuse in which Zahra endeared at home.  She was taken out of public school a year ago and home schooled by her stepmother.

The Australia newspaper reports, "Fresh evidence has emerged of beatings and a photo apparently showing a bruise under the right eye of the disabled girl."

The Daily Telegraph also goes on to report about the same photo of Zahra.  They claim the photo was taken August 9th by family friend Brandy Stapleton "which appeared to show Zahra with a bruise under her right eye."

Stapleton told ABC's Good Morning America she took the picture of Zahra in an attempt to cheer the girl up and that stepmother Elisa Baker did not want the picture taken, the newspaper reports.

The Daily Telegraph also reports that former neighbor Renee Bobbitt told ABC News she witnessed Zahra being abused by her stepmother:  "Just the way she [Elisa Baker] yelled and screamed at her [Zahra], and I did see her hit the child a couple of times."

Some of the phrases used by the Australian press to describe the unfolding events pertaining to this story is interesting to note.

The Australian newspaper refers to the Real Tree Services property where police searched for Zahra's body in Burke County as the "…bushland premises of a tree-trimming company."

In describing the cadaver dogs that have aided with the search, The Daily Telegraph reports, "Sniffer dogs scoured a pile of debris on a property linked to the tree-trimming business employing Zahra's Australian father Adam Baker."

The Daily Telegraph goes on to report, "The search included inspections of mulching machinery and large piles of wood chips."

Adam Baker's job was to haul tree limbs and other debris to the site where they were placed in a wood chipper, the paper adds.

It is quite clear that while Zahra has not called Australia home for the last two years, the people there are quite concerned about her well being.  Undoubtedly, people around the globe who have read about Zahra remain hopeful she will be found, and that justice will be served against the person or persons who caused her harm.

http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13324593

[no rose colored glasses]

Brandi in the second shot is that a hole or an illusion?

The bulldozer or front end loader, I don't know the difference ... just made that by clearing wood and some earth for the dog to work on.

It is a bit of a trench, I'd say.

 

Thanks, the police must be pretty sure they are going to find something around there.

[klaasend]

http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13324177

Drug use kept relatives from contacting DSS about Zahra
Posted: Oct 14, 2010 10:43 AM PDT Updated: Oct 14, 2010 12:25 PM PDT

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Two women who have spoken about the family stability involving a missing girl from Hickory now claim one of them was addicted to drugs – and that contributed to why they never directly called authorities about possible problems at the missing girl's home.

Brittney Bentley, who was married to the nephew of Elisa Baker, told WBT Radio on Wednesday that she was a drug addict and that she was sorry for not contacting the North Carolina Department of Social Services after allegedly observing problems pertaining to Zahra Claire Baker's home life.

Elisa Baker, the stepmother of Zahra, is considered a "person of interest" by police in the disappearance the 10-year-old child. Baker, also charged with felony obstruction of justice in the case, is being held in the Catawba County Jail on a $72,200 bond as crews search for her missing stepdaughter, Zahra.

Bentley claimed on WBT's Tara Servatius Show that she told her mother, Kim Drum, about issues that Zahra was subjected to, but Drum says she never contacted DSS either.

"No… I never called DSS," Drum said, adding that she regrets "…it very, very much" as authorities now fear Zahra is dead. Police called off an AMBER Alert Tuesday and now are investigating the case as a homicide.

Drum and Bentley surfaced in news accounts earlier this week as the first family members to talk about Zahra's family experiences. Bentley, who says she has been in drug recovery for 3 months, says she is no longer married to Elisa Baker's nephew. (Drum and Bentley said much more on WBT Radio -- listen to the audio file on this page)

Bentley claims she told her mother, Drum, who was supposed to tell DSS about the problems. But, Drum, who said she knew her daughter was hooked on drugs, did not believe her daughter's claims of Zahra's home problems.

The two women claim that, although they never called DSS themselves, they did "make sure" DSS investigated the case. Although they did not actually explain on WBT Radio how they made sure that happened, they claim to have seen DSS agents at the Baker's house.

Drum also said that she kept Zahra on weekends about every six weeks. Drum told WBT Radio that Zahra never complained about Elisa Baker and that all she ever saw wrong with Zahra was a very faint black eye. Drum said that Zahra told her the injury was from running into a doorknob.

"I didn't know what to believe at the time," Drum said, about conflicting information from her daughter and Zahra. "At that time in Brittney's life… she … Brittney was on drugs."

[Claycat]

The dog seemed interested in that spot, but I don't know how to tell if they are alerting.

[no rose colored glasses]

Drugs are always most important 

[Brandi]

Kim Drum, mother of Brittany Bentley (who is married to Elisa's nephew) said on GMA that whenever she spent the night with them, Zahra took her leg off an hour before bed. She said she never slept with it on.

http://www.wbtv.com/global/category.asp?c=195957&clipId=5190264&topVideoCatNo=undefined&autoStart=true

[Nana29]

http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13324177

Drug use kept relatives from contacting DSS about Zahra
Posted: Oct 14, 2010 10:43 AM PDT Updated: Oct 14, 2010 12:25 PM PDT

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Two women who have spoken about the family stability involving a missing girl from Hickory now claim one of them was addicted to drugs – and that contributed to why they never directly called authorities about possible problems at the missing girl's home.

Brittney Bentley, who was married to the nephew of Elisa Baker, told WBT Radio on Wednesday that she was a drug addict and that she was sorry for not contacting the North Carolina Department of Social Services after allegedly observing problems pertaining to Zahra Claire Baker's home life.

Elisa Baker, the stepmother of Zahra, is considered a "person of interest" by police in the disappearance the 10-year-old child. Baker, also charged with felony obstruction of justice in the case, is being held in the Catawba County Jail on a $72,200 bond as crews search for her missing stepdaughter, Zahra.

Bentley claimed on WBT's Tara Servatius Show that she told her mother, Kim Drum, about issues that Zahra was subjected to, but Drum says she never contacted DSS either.

"No… I never called DSS," Drum said, adding that she regrets "…it very, very much" as authorities now fear Zahra is dead. Police called off an AMBER Alert Tuesday and now are investigating the case as a homicide.

Drum and Bentley surfaced in news accounts earlier this week as the first family members to talk about Zahra's family experiences. Bentley, who says she has been in drug recovery for 3 months, says she is no longer married to Elisa Baker's nephew. (Drum and Bentley said much more on WBT Radio -- listen to the audio file on this page)

Bentley claims she told her mother, Drum, who was supposed to tell DSS about the problems. But, Drum, who said she knew her daughter was hooked on drugs, did not believe her daughter's claims of Zahra's home problems.

The two women claim that, although they never called DSS themselves, they did "make sure" DSS investigated the case. Although they did not actually explain on WBT Radio how they made sure that happened, they claim to have seen DSS agents at the Baker's house.

Drum also said that she kept Zahra on weekends about every six weeks. Drum told WBT Radio that Zahra never complained about Elisa Baker and that all she ever saw wrong with Zahra was a very faint black eye. Drum said that Zahra told her the injury was from running into a doorknob.

"I didn't know what to believe at the time," Drum said, about conflicting information from her daughter and Zahra. "At that time in Brittney's life… she … Brittney was on drugs."

Wouldn't you think they might have erred on the side of caution? This involved child abuse! HELLO!!! How many people "regret" they did nothing?!!??!! Apathy at the least!   

[no rose colored glasses]

Kim Drum, mother of Brittany Bentley (who is married to Elisa's nephew) said on GMA that whenever she spent the night with them, Zahra took her leg off an hour before bed. She said she never slept with it on.

http://www.wbtv.com/global/category.asp?c=195957&clipId=5190264&topVideoCatNo=undefined&autoStart=true

A person with a a prosthetic limb should always take it off at bedtime.

[mariloo]

I hope everyone knows yo do not have to identify yourself in order to call and report suspected child abuse.  You can be completely anonymous.  Don't buy this dam story of, "Oh, I was on drugs so I couldn't call".  BS!!!  If I ever see someone hurting a child or make me believe that a child is in danger, you better believe I will call and give my name to boot!!!

[Brandi]

Kim Drum, mother of Brittany Bentley (who is married to Elisa's nephew) said on GMA that whenever she spent the night with them, Zahra took her leg off an hour before bed. She said she never slept with it on.

http://www.wbtv.com/global/category.asp?c=195957&clipId=5190264&topVideoCatNo=undefined&autoStart=true

A person with a a prosthetic limb should always take it off at bedtime.

Exactly. Just confirming that she did take it off when going to bed.

[mariloo]

Kim Drum, mother of Brittany Bentley (who is married to Elisa's nephew) said on GMA that whenever she spent the night with them, Zahra took her leg off an hour before bed. She said she never slept with it on.

http://www.wbtv.com/global/category.asp?c=195957&clipId=5190264&topVideoCatNo=undefined&autoStart=true

A person with a a prosthetic limb should always take it off at bedtime.

Exactly. Just confirming that she did take it off when going to bed.

If she ever made it to bed.  Did someone say that she did or did not have a bedroom of her own?  These evil people

[klaasend]

http://maps.yourgmap.com/v/2_1az_The_Zahra_Baker_Mystery_p_2010_c_Hickory_Daily_Record.html




Map Locations

Bakers' apartment
6 Congress St.
Granite Falls, NC
Elisa and Adam Baker lived in the Congress
Apartments sometime after they were wed
in July 2007 in Australia.

Catawba County Govt. and Justice Center
100 Southwest Blvd
Newton, NC
Elisa Fairfield Baker, Zahra's stepmother,
is in custody here, held under $40,000 bond
for charges including obstruction of justice.

Granite Falls Elementary
60 N. Highland Ave.
Granite Falls, NC
Zahra Baker attended school here in 2008-10.
She was homeschooled this year.

Real Tree Service
2830 Hartland Road
Morganton, NC
Adam Baker is employed at Real Tree Service
owned by Fred Causby of Morganton.
Investigators from Burke and Catawba counties
have searched the property several times.

South Caldwell H.S.
7035 Spartan Drive
Hudson, NC
Elisa Baker's name was Elisa Fairchild
when she attended South Caldwell High
School in 1982-86. She married classmate
Adam Winkler, who says he later had the
marriage annulled.

Zahra's home
21 21st Ave NW
Hickory, NC
Zahra Clare Baker's home in Hickory is
the last place the 10-year-old girl,
who is hearing-impaired and wears a
prosthetic leg, was seen alive. Her
parents, Adam and Elisa Baker,
reported her missing Saturday, Oct. 9.

[mymonkey]

I hope everyone knows yo do not have to identify yourself in order to call and report suspected child abuse.  You can be completely anonymous.  Don't buy this dam story of, "Oh, I was on drugs so I couldn't call".  BS!!!  If I ever see someone hurting a child or make me believe that a child is in danger, you better believe I will call and give my name to boot!!!

Not when its your drug dealer your reporting!

[Brandi]

Massive Search Underway For Missing Zahra
Updated: 5:01 pm EDT October 14, 2010
HICKORY, N.C. -- For the fifth day in a row, police launched a massive search on Thursday at a remote property north of Morganton for any signs of the missing Zahra Clare Baker.

Sheriff Deputies, police and firefighters received their instructions and then went to work, "Arm to arm to the other side of that building," said Burke County Sheriff’s Deputy John McDevitt.

"Anything at all, any sign, any clothing, anything at all,” said Burke County investigator David South.

From an abandoned shed to wood piles, nothing was left unturned on the property 10 miles north of Morganton in the search for Zahra.

Investigators are searching 5 acres. From Chopper 9 you could see police using a bulldozer to look under a pile of wood, while nearby cadaver dogs try to pick up a scent.

"They've asked us today to eliminate this property to remove it from the suspect list and when we leave here today that will be done one way or the other," said McDevitt.

Earlier this week, a K-9 unit alerted police to a wood chipper on the property. A K-9 unit dog handler told Channel 9 that the hit was not on the wood chipper itself but the engine, and the blood could have come from a cut on a worker’s hand.

Investigators have said that Zahra’s dad, Adam Baker, works as a landscaper and used some of the equipment at the site.

Erica Wilkerson, who lives nearby, watched the search from the dirt drive leading to the property and wants to help with the search. "I'd put my boots on and come out here and walk and help find her,” she said.
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/25389806/detail.html