11-13-2010, 10:41 PM
Nov. 13 Hickory Record:
Questions about the case abound the day after Hickory police announced that they’d found a bone, which preliminary tests confirmed came from the body of 10-year-old Zahra Baker.
The prevailing theory in the community is that Zahra’s father, Adam Baker, and his wife, Elisa Baker, killed Zahra then cut up her body and disposed of it to hide the crime. This theory and those like it have not been confirmed, and neither Adam nor Elisa have been charged with murder or improper disposal of a body.
But the community does have a lot of questions they’d like answered. They include these questions asked by those who came to the Bakers’ house Saturday:
* “It’s kind of morbid, but I want to know, what did they (Adam and Elisa Baker) do to her?” Julie Fox, 36, of Hickory
* “How can you take a child’s life who’s been through so much, who’s battled so much? Why couldn’t they go to Social Services and give the child up for adoption if they hated her so bad?" Melissa Owens, 20, of Taylorsville
* “We want to know if she (Zahra) ever had any life or any fun at all.” Bruce Houck, 68, of Lenoir
* “I just can’t imagine why the Department of Social Services didn’t catch them (Adam and Elisa Baker) earlier.” Doreta Houck, 49, of Lenoir
* “What can we do as a society to keep this from happening again because we, as a society, let her (Zahra) down.” Ruby Money, 59, of Lenoir
* How can we better protect children we think are abused? What law might have prevented Zahra’s death?
Investigators may have answered some of these questions. They’re working to answer more, but some answers may never come to light.
During Friday’s media briefing, Chief Tom Adkins of the Hickory Police Department announced that the flow of information to the media about the case would be dramatically reduced so as not to imperil the ongoing investigation.
While some were surprised that murder charges have yet to be brought against the Bakers, Capt. Thurman Whisnant of the Hickory Police Department did say he does not foresee murder charges being brought against them this weekend.
“We still have an active investigation going on, and we still have too many unanswered questions this weekend,” he said. “We have not released all of the information we have because we’re protecting the integrity of the investigation, and we’re working to answer lingering questions.”
District Attorney Jay Gaither was also reluctant to discuss the details of the ongoing case.
“At this time, we can’t discuss the evidence in the case, and we share Chief Adkins sentiments following his announcement of the test results from the bone,” he said. “Since the report of Zahra’s disappearance, the District Attorney’s Office has been working more closely with law enforcement than with any other case since I took office eight years ago. I have been meeting with law enforcement on an almost daily basis to receive briefings from the Hickory Police Department, FBI and SBI. I have also been meeting with Chief Adkins to discuss the evidence in the case as it has emerged since Zahra’s disappearance. The ongoing investigation continues to be a priority.”
Whisnant stressed the importance of conducting a thorough investigation in the case.
“We want to be as thorough and have as many questions answered as humanly possible before any additional charges may be filed,” he said. “It would be a mistake to rush into anything without having a complete and thorough investigation and our investigation is ongoing.”
Gaither stressed the focus his office has put on the Zahra Baker case.
“We’ve placed a higher priority on this case than any other since I was elected DA,” he said.
A constant flow of mourners streamed to the Bakers’ former home at 21 21st Ave., NW on Saturday. Cars were parked along the side of the road for about 150 yards. People spent the day adding to the makeshift memorial that has grown up around the trunk of an oak tree in the front yard.
Scores of pictures, notes, dolls and toys encircled the tree. Children and adults stood and cried as 17 brightly colored “Happy Birthday” balloons bobbed in the cool breeze. Tuesday, Nov. 16, would have been Zahra’s 11th birthday.
Questions about the case abound the day after Hickory police announced that they’d found a bone, which preliminary tests confirmed came from the body of 10-year-old Zahra Baker.
The prevailing theory in the community is that Zahra’s father, Adam Baker, and his wife, Elisa Baker, killed Zahra then cut up her body and disposed of it to hide the crime. This theory and those like it have not been confirmed, and neither Adam nor Elisa have been charged with murder or improper disposal of a body.
But the community does have a lot of questions they’d like answered. They include these questions asked by those who came to the Bakers’ house Saturday:
* “It’s kind of morbid, but I want to know, what did they (Adam and Elisa Baker) do to her?” Julie Fox, 36, of Hickory
* “How can you take a child’s life who’s been through so much, who’s battled so much? Why couldn’t they go to Social Services and give the child up for adoption if they hated her so bad?" Melissa Owens, 20, of Taylorsville
* “We want to know if she (Zahra) ever had any life or any fun at all.” Bruce Houck, 68, of Lenoir
* “I just can’t imagine why the Department of Social Services didn’t catch them (Adam and Elisa Baker) earlier.” Doreta Houck, 49, of Lenoir
* “What can we do as a society to keep this from happening again because we, as a society, let her (Zahra) down.” Ruby Money, 59, of Lenoir
* How can we better protect children we think are abused? What law might have prevented Zahra’s death?
Investigators may have answered some of these questions. They’re working to answer more, but some answers may never come to light.
During Friday’s media briefing, Chief Tom Adkins of the Hickory Police Department announced that the flow of information to the media about the case would be dramatically reduced so as not to imperil the ongoing investigation.
While some were surprised that murder charges have yet to be brought against the Bakers, Capt. Thurman Whisnant of the Hickory Police Department did say he does not foresee murder charges being brought against them this weekend.
“We still have an active investigation going on, and we still have too many unanswered questions this weekend,” he said. “We have not released all of the information we have because we’re protecting the integrity of the investigation, and we’re working to answer lingering questions.”
District Attorney Jay Gaither was also reluctant to discuss the details of the ongoing case.
“At this time, we can’t discuss the evidence in the case, and we share Chief Adkins sentiments following his announcement of the test results from the bone,” he said. “Since the report of Zahra’s disappearance, the District Attorney’s Office has been working more closely with law enforcement than with any other case since I took office eight years ago. I have been meeting with law enforcement on an almost daily basis to receive briefings from the Hickory Police Department, FBI and SBI. I have also been meeting with Chief Adkins to discuss the evidence in the case as it has emerged since Zahra’s disappearance. The ongoing investigation continues to be a priority.”
Whisnant stressed the importance of conducting a thorough investigation in the case.
“We want to be as thorough and have as many questions answered as humanly possible before any additional charges may be filed,” he said. “It would be a mistake to rush into anything without having a complete and thorough investigation and our investigation is ongoing.”
Gaither stressed the focus his office has put on the Zahra Baker case.
“We’ve placed a higher priority on this case than any other since I was elected DA,” he said.
A constant flow of mourners streamed to the Bakers’ former home at 21 21st Ave., NW on Saturday. Cars were parked along the side of the road for about 150 yards. People spent the day adding to the makeshift memorial that has grown up around the trunk of an oak tree in the front yard.
Scores of pictures, notes, dolls and toys encircled the tree. Children and adults stood and cried as 17 brightly colored “Happy Birthday” balloons bobbed in the cool breeze. Tuesday, Nov. 16, would have been Zahra’s 11th birthday.