Zahra Clare Baker #4 10/22/10 - 10/28/10

[Northern Rose]

Restaurants help feed Zahra Baker investigators (with video)


HICKORY, N.C. -- Local restaurants and businesses are stepping up to help the Hickory police and other agencies investigating the Zahra Baker homicide case. The Catawba County, Burke County, and Caldwell County sheriff's offices, as well as the SBI, and other federal agencies have worked for two solid weeks.

The Hickory chief said he appreciated restaurants donating food so investigators could continue their assignments. Local restaurant owners said the case hits close to home.

"The people in Hickory are taking this story personal and everybody wants to do something but they're so limited in what they can do," said Brenda Perone-Smith from the Carolina Bagel Bakery Cafe.

Police expected the search of the Caldwell County landfill the last five days, they wrapped up their work after three days. Investigators took several items from the site included a mattress, but said they didn't get the DNA evidence they had hoped.

http://charlotte.news14.com/content/zahra_baker_case/631898/restaurants-help-feed-zahra-baker-investigators

[no rose colored glasses]

It is always nice to read when businesses or restaurants help like that    I'm wondering if Elisa confessed? It has to big big for her lawyer to cancel this morning with her other case.

[klaasend]

Crews searching Caldwell County in Zahra Baker case


CALDWELL COUNTY, N.C. – Crews have resumed their search into the disappearance of 10-year-old Zahra Baker.

Right now police have closed off roads near Dudley Shoals Road in Granite Falls to search the area.

Zahra Baker’s stepmother, Elisa Baker, used to live near that area.

Elisa Baker was arrested on Oct. 10; the day after Zahra was reported missing, on charges unrelated to the 10-year-old’s disappearance. However, Elisa was later charged with obstruction of justice in connection with the case. Police say she wrote a fake ransom note and has not cooperated with the investigation.

Police haven’t identified exactly what they’re searching for in Granite Falls. Last week crews searched a Caldwell County landfill, looking for mattress that Zahra’s father and stepmother had disposed of in early October. Their search came up empty.

Zahra’s father, Adam Baker, was arrested Monday morning on five counts of writing worthless checks, two counts of communicating threats, assault with a deadly weapon and failure to return rental property.

Police acknowledged that Adam Baker had outstanding warrants for worthless checks when the investigation began, but said that they would execute those warrants when the time was appropriate.

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/Crews-searching-Caldwell-County-in-Zahra-Baker-case-105693703.html

The roads were not closed off as of noon, because Dave Faherty was right near where the search was going on, and said that he had spoke with LE. Praying that they have found something at this location. I have WSOC tv on, waiting for any updates.
Havi

[Brandi]

Zahra Baker's dad charged as search for girl moves to new location


HICKORY, NC (WBTV) - Authorities said Monday morning that a missing 10-year-old girl's father had been charged and was being held in jail just as the search for Zahra Baker becane active in Caldwell County near a former Baker family residence.

Adam Baker, the father of Zahra Baker, was not charged with allegations related to her disappearance, unlike Zahra's stepmother, who is being held on an obstruction of justice charge related to the search for the girl.

Meanwhile, authorities Monday confirmed that a new search was underway on Dudley Shoals Road which is in Caldwell County, about four miles northeast of Granite Falls. That location is reportedly near where the Baker family once lived.

Adam Baker, who first reported his daughter missing in a 911 call Oct. 9, was charged Monday with five counts of worthless checks and five counts of failing to appear in court -- one of those cases being assault with a deadly weapon. He was arrested at Charlotte Douglas Airport and is being held in the Catawba County Jail on a $7,000 bond.

Other charges that Baker allegedly did not appear in court for are communicating threats. His next court date is set for November 18. Authorities said that although Adam Baker was arrested at the aiport Monday, he was not there to take a flight, but was instead picking up someone from the airport.

The charges against Baker came after authorties said Friday that they had completed their search of a Caldwell County landfill and that they had been looking for a specific mattress associated with the missing 10-year-old girl, Zahra Baker.

Dozens of law enforcement officers from various agencies descended on the landfill earlier this week and were seen pulling mattresses out it on Thursday. On Wednesday, police said that they were combing the landfill for a "key piece of evidence."

Friday, they confirmed the mattress was the focus of the search -- but also said their search was not successful.

"The search focused on a mattress belonging to Zahra that had been disposed of by Zahra's parents sometime during early October, days before Zahra was reported missing," a press release from Hickory Police said.

 Police said that they hoped to "use the mattress to confirm interviews with persons associated with this investigation."  They also said that the mattress would be used to reinforce the timeline of Zahra's disappearance.

Several mattresses were found in the landfill and police took samples of those mattresses with them. However, it is not believed that investigators found the "key piece of evidence" they were looking for.

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

[Northern Rose]

I am reading comments at

http://www2.hickoryrecord.com/news/2010/oct/20/records-show-zahra-fund-spokesman-had-2006-felony--ar-467634/#comments

Seems there is a business that is shown as a sponsor on their $5,00 giveaway that has requested their logo to be removed since Sept.

http://www.ncchristiancounselors.com/support-5000.htm

Posted by Tvb on Oct. 23, 2010 - 9:31 a.m.
I am speaking on behalf of Hannah's BBQ & will ASSURE you there has been absolutely NO money given to support this organization.

We did offer a coupon on their card to fill a blank they had, but it was not financially supported by us at all. Please know that we do not and have never given financial support to organizations, with the exception of Carolina Cross Connections. We have helped people in our communities, but we don't collect for organizations.

Also, I would ask, would you not shop at Home Depot as well? What we did was to offer a coupon to a potential customer & we also had our coupon removed from them in September. If we have offended anyone, we apologize, the intent was never do deceive or offend anyone, only to offer a coupon to folks.

Hopefully you will understand & we will see you again.

Posted by LeLe1953 on Oct. 23, 2010 - 10:09 a.m.
In all fairness, I have not looked today, but have you insisted they take your business's name of their sponser page?

As a community we have all fallen in love with Zahra & would gladly give what we could & do what we could to help bring her home. The issue with the fund raising in her name has been about WHO is doing it & their reputations. Most don't trust them because of their past history.

I am glad to see your explanation & it seems you have been exploited like so many others.
Thank you & God Bless

Posted by Tvb on Oct. 23, 2010 - 10:57 a.m.
Yes we have requested to be removed from their sponsor page, we did this in early September....

I did just check about a week ago and was unable to find or see any sponsors.

I just happened upon this blog, I had no idea this kind of even going on...if ever there is a question about anything with any of our restaurants I would encourage you to always contact the stores & ask for the manager. They will direct you to me & I will handle things asap...
Thanks for your understanding & be blessed.

http://www2.hickoryrecord.com/news/2010/oct/20/records-show-zahra-fund-spokesman-had-2006-felony--ar-467634/#comments

[Northern Rose]

His eyes in his mugshot give me the chills



http://www.whky.com/news.asp?mode=detail&articleID=14014

[Nut44x4]

It is always nice to read when businesses or restaurants help like that    I'm wondering if Elisa confessed? It has to big big for her lawyer to cancel this morning with her other case.

Yes, it made me think 'someone' was talking.

[cookie]

His eyes in his mugshot give me the chills



http://www.whky.com/news.asp?mode=detail&articleID=14014

I think that his eyes look sad...

[Brandi]

Nightowl, another misconstrued fact reported by the Australian news, I believe.

Says that Adam was arrested and released on bond.

I don't think he has been released. None of the articles except for this one says he was.

http://www.news.com.au/world/father-of-missing-10-year-old-zahra-barker-arrested-on-unrelated-charges/story-e6frfkyi-1225943508897

[Brandi]

Zahra Baker's father arrested at airport
The father of missing 10-year-old Australian girl Zahra Baker has been arrested at a North Carolina airport.

Police in the Bakers' home town of Hickory, North Carolina, said they arrested Adam Baker at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Monday morning, but do not believe he was trying to flee the state or the US.

The charges were not related to Zahra's disappearance.

"We believe he was at the airport picking up relatives who were flying in from Australia," Hickory Police Department spokesperson Libby Grigg told AAP.

Baker, a former Queensland sugar mill worker who moved from Australia to the US two years ago with Zahra so he could be with his new American wife Elisa, faces five counts of writing worthless cheques, two counts of communicating threats, one count of assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of failure to return rental property.

The disappearance of Zahra, who had the lower part of her left leg amputated five years ago after being stricken with bone cancer, has made headlines across the world.

Adam and Elisa Baker reported her missing on October 9. However, Zahra had not been seen by anyone other than a family member since September 25 and Hickory police believe she was murdered.

Elisa Baker is also in custody.

Adam Baker is being held on $7000 ($7116) bond while Elisa was arrested a fortnight ago and is charged with obstruction of justice and other offences. The obstruction of justice count relates to an alleged fake ransom police believe she wrote.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/zahra-bakers-father-arrested-at-airport-20101026-1713x.html

[Tolerance]

His eyes in his mugshot give me the chills



http://www.whky.com/news.asp?mode=detail&articleID=14014

He puts me in mind of Josh Powell

[4 Donks]

It is always nice to read when businesses or restaurants help like that    I'm wondering if Elisa confessed? It has to big big for her lawyer to cancel this morning with her other case.

Yes, it made me think 'someone' was talking.

The 1st one to talk gets the best deal and I have a feeling Adam was just thrown under the bus.

[pfaubush]

Nightowl, another misconstrued fact reported by the Australian news, I believe.

Says that Adam was arrested and released on bond.

I don't think he has been released. None of the articles except for this one says he was.

http://www.news.com.au/world/father-of-missing-10-year-old-zahra-barker-arrested-on-unrelated-charges/story-e6frfkyi-1225943508897

Wow, it seems that Aussie news is almost as bad as ours here in the states!

[klaasend]

This is the video where they are talking about the promising lead they are following in the Dudley Shoals Road area.  I know the link has already been posted.  They mention that they have been searching this area since before dawn this morning.  Wonder if Elesa finally talked?

http://www.wsoctv.com/video/25502773/

[Northern Rose]

This is the video where they are talking about the promising lead they are following in the Dudley Shoals Road area.  I know the link has already been posted.  They mention that they have been searching this area since before dawn this morning.  Wonder if Elesa finally talked?

http://www.wsoctv.com/video/25502773/

That would fit with her new attorney calling this morning to cancel a change of venue court date for another client facing murder charges. 

[pfaubush]

This is the video where they are talking about the promising lead they are following in the Dudley Shoals Road area.  I know the link has already been posted.  They mention that they have been searching this area since before dawn this morning.  Wonder if Elesa finally talked?

http://www.wsoctv.com/video/25502773/

Do you think she would talk in the middle of the night? That seems weird to me. However, the fact that they are searching the new area at that time, her lawyer called and postponed another hearing at that time and arrested AB at that time seems to fit. It just seems like such a strange time to start talking.

[pfaubush]

This is the video where they are talking about the promising lead they are following in the Dudley Shoals Road area.  I know the link has already been posted.  They mention that they have been searching this area since before dawn this morning.  Wonder if Elesa finally talked?

http://www.wsoctv.com/video/25502773/

Do you think she would talk in the middle of the night? That seems weird to me. However, the fact that they are searching the new area at that time, her lawyer called and postponed another hearing at that time and arrested AB at that time seems to fit. It just seems like such a strange time to start talking.

Forgot to add that this makes me wonder just who was coming in on that plane and if their arrival had anything to do with all of this.

[Northern Rose]

HICKORY, NC (WBTV) - Authorities said Monday morning that a missing 10-year-old girl's father had been charged and was being held in jail just as the search for Zahra Baker becane active in Caldwell County near a former Baker family residence.

Adam Baker, the father of Zahra Baker, was not charged with allegations related to her disappearance, unlike Zahra's stepmother, who is being held on an obstruction of justice charge related to the search for the girl.

Meanwhile, authorities Monday confirmed that a new search was underway on Dudley Shoals Road which is in Caldwell County, about four miles northeast of Granite Falls. That location is reportedly near where Elisa Baker lived in 2006-2007 before she married Adam Baker and before his daughter, Zahra moved to the United States.

MOVE...

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

[Gypsy DD]

Maybe Adam talked when they arrested him.   Which they then asked to speak with E and her attorneys.

[no rose colored glasses]

Maybe Adam talked when they arrested him.   Which they then asked to speak with E and her attorneys.

I'm wondering, because the police started their search around dawn, and that would kind of fit with his arrest.