NC - Zahra Clare Baker, 10, Hickory, 9 Oct 2010 - #6

[watchful_eye]

Ok. PHEW! This thread/treads are moving lightning fast. I guess that is a good thing.

When I read about the scent of human remains on the wood chipper this morning, I was horrified. I don't even want to think about it. I am just going to try and post as calmly and swiftly as I can.

If someone put a gun to my head and told me to kill ANY child--not just my own, I would say, "pull the trigger".

My heart is aching for this little girl. Thankfully, justice will be served soon. Evidence is popping up all over the place, and it's only been a few days. And, as I said before, a jury or judge is NOT going to show any mercy for people who (brutally) murder/desecrate handicapped, cancer-surviving children. And, once their fellow prison mates find out what happened, they aren't going to be given much mercy there either.

 

[Kat]

In partial defense of the NC child welfare workers -- the sad truth is that even if they had determined she was in danger, they might not have had a place to take her to. If NC is anything like MA, the foster care spots are full, the group homes are full, even the emergency care is full. Healthy kids have spent the night in hospital wards because it was the only safe bed to be found.

The problem isn't budget. The problem is not enough foster parents. The economy has caused many of the people who used to volunteer to require services themselves, and nobody has replaced them. There are plenty of sanctimonious people ready to scream when something goes wrong, but not so many willing to reach out and help a troubled child and maybe prevent a tragedy.

Thank you carbuff for a well thought out viewpoint on the subject of the child welfare workers.

I respectfully bolded a sentence in your post above.

In every single state that I have lived in, every single one, that is one of the major problems. JMHO.

 

[Oriah]

Overall I agree. Though that got me thinking. What are the laws in NC for annual exams required by the state for school?

In IL, I must provide the school with evidence of annual dental exams and this year, or last year, an eye exam is required in 2nd in addition to KG and 5th IIRC. Surely there were some required medical exams for this child to be enrolled in the public school system for the duration she attended public school.

I also wonder, *if* the school did not receive the proper documentation those exams were completed and if perhaps there was excessive absents due to abuse wouldn't there have been some record?

This didn't just happen after school let out at the end of the 2009/2010 school year. This abuse had to have started shortly after Zahra and her dad arrived in the states. I'm curious to know..... I'm sure as time goes on more info will be released to the public just as it was in the Aveion Lewis case. I can't help but think about the searchers today experiencing the same emotions those who searched and found little Aveion in a landfill experienced.

I will look that up- excellent thought and excellent way to bypass hippa, lol.

 

[Sherbie]

People like to feel like things like this could not happen to them or near them so they identify the one "who could have stopped it" and point all the blame that direction.

Then they can feel superior and safe in a little bubble where if they thought their niece was being abused they would never ever be left powerless and their attempts to help unheeded.

Self preservation.

I haven't visited any of the facebook pages yet to see what's being said, but the last person who should be beaten up on is that sweet girl. She loved Zahra and took her into her home, nurtured her, TRIED to get help for her. She did far more than anyone else so far as I can tell, and she is hurting terribly now, I'm sure.

 

[Emeralgem]

O/T 18th miner rescued

 

[wfgodot]

Thank you carbuff for a well thought out viewpoint on the subject of the child welfare workers.

I respectfully bolded a sentence in your post above.

In every single state that I have lived in, every single one, that is one of the major problems. JMHO.

Exactly. Carbuff nailed it - not enough foster parents. The phrase that the good ones are "worth their weight in gold" is one I've heard uttered by CPS workers many times. The good ones are held in awe. God grant us more of them.

 

[nobodyspecial]

In regards to the lung mets, it's likely she would be on pred to keep airway as optimal as possible...it's possible she was terminal, as well. Without knowing anything about what stage, type and the status of the tumors it's impossible to say. I have a feeling that if the osteo showed up in the lungs later it's pretty likely she'd relapsed again. Lung cancer is hard to beat, especially in a fragile child.

Still, not treating would result in a very painful, scary and difficult death. Even pred isn't going to help with pain from the cancer itself. I don't discount this possibility at all, however....that they refused treatment, and probably palliative care as well. Most certainly there was no comfort care.

just imo, of course.

In regards to someone taking physical action and removing her from her home to save her life, thereby being charged with kidnapping (from the talk back and forth on this thread i mean)...I just have to say...I doubt they'd bother reacting. It's clear they had no real love for this child...probably would be relieved to be rid of her.

just sayin....and that last bit probably made no sense.

 

[Cubby]

Oh, again.... Could not be a more accurate post, imo.

Cubby maybe we need a new forum- "News that Makes You Smile and Then Cry Your Eyes Out and Then Smile Again". We could post her- because she is an excellent start to that. Then we can start posting about all of the things she accomplished.
(For example, she has made us all smile quite a lot I think.)

Thank you. Yes, she has made us smile and cry....
So brave. Far more brave in her short 10 years than many adults in a lifetime and so incredibly sad her future was cut short. I can only imagine the most amazing things she would have done with her life and the inspiration she would have continued to be to others......

If nothing else, at least the example she set will always live on..
and we will ALL fight to ensure this child receives the justice she deserves. I don't think LE will rest until they can be certain this child will receive the justice she deserves.

 

[tiredblondy]

I hope the Bentley girl has a strong support system and gets at least a handful of supportive posts to weather the burial coming her way.

People cannot identify with the stepmom, they won't lash out her nearly as harshly as they are to bury this girl who should have saved the girl when CPS, teachers, and her father didn't/couldn't/wouldn't.

I'm afraid same will happen with the neighbors too just like the one who took the picture with the black eye.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/zahra-baker-case-cops-search-wood-chipper-mulch/story?id=11868397

In Kindergarten a physical exam is required and shots must be up to date with documentation for a child to enter school. I'm sure her shot record was checked and possibly her medical records from Australia were requested. That would have been normal procedure.

 

[big4dropout]

I just had a thought... but where are her kitties????? (the ones that they wouldn't let her have at the new house)

we know the dogs hit on blood in the woodchippers but was it just human blood? Just wondering out loud...

The poor kitties were probably just left at the trailer park in hopes that someone would take them in. Sadly it happens all the time.

 

[Oriah]

Okay, the health care requirements for NC for school aged children... the norm if in public school, enrolled. If home schooled, basically nil.

http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/North_Carolina.pdf

 

[kalekona]

Overall I agree. Though that got me thinking. What are the laws in NC for annual exams required by the state for school?

In IL, I must provide the school with evidence of annual dental exams and this year, or last year, an eye exam is required in 2nd in addition to KG and 5th IIRC. Surely there were some required medical exams for this child to be enrolled in the public school system for the duration she attended public school.

I also wonder, *if* the school did not receive the proper documentation those exams were completed and if perhaps there was excessive absents due to abuse wouldn't there have been some record?

This didn't just happen after school let out at the end of the 2009/2010 school year. This abuse had to have started shortly after Zahra and her dad arrived in the states. I'm curious to know..... I'm sure as time goes on more info will be released to the public just as it was in the Aveion Lewis case. I can't help but think about the searchers today experiencing the same emotions those who searched and found little Aveion in a landfill experienced.

I'm in WA and there is nothing requiring medical check-ups to be enrolled in school- other than sports physicals every other year and routine immunizations (which can be waved with nothing more than a signature by the parent claiming the reason why they don't believe in immunizations)

Now my daughter did need a physical prior to starting her freshman year of college..

 

[Peliman]

I think they have all they need too. With the brushes and toothbrushes.

And, AB. Can't they take one hair from his head and tell if any remains found were his child? Even without the toothbrushes and hairbrushes??

Assuming he's the real Bio-Dad yes and can they connect the brushes to Zahra if she hasn't been seen in 30 days by a non-family member? When was the last time she was seen by a non-family member or trusted family member? Anyone? Was she ever at the newest home they rented?

18th miner in Chile rescued, he's the one who proposed to his girlfriend from the deep ground down below.

 

[tiredblondy]

Cubby brought up a good point with the searchers and LE.

They know so much more than we do, enough to bring the police chief to tears.

Please remember these LE and searchers in your prayers. Many of them have children and grandchildren!

To know what they are searching for and why must be so emotionally heart renching that we can only imagine what they are going through.

I also know they will not stop and will go without sleep until they find what they Zahara or fall over from exhaustion from trying!

 

[imamaze]

Watch it - guess who is fifty something? :crazy:

Me too Kimster but we look soooo much younger :dance:

 

[grammieto5]

A new photograph of missing 10-year-old Zahra Baker with a bruise under her eye surfaced today as the search for her body focused on a wood chipper and mulch piles for any sign of her remains.

The missing North Carolina 10-year-old, who lost her left leg and hearing in a battle with childhood cancer, is seen in a dimly lit cell phone image with what Baker family friend Brandy Stapleton called a visible bruise under her right eye. Stapleton said she took the photo, obtained exclusively by ABC News, on Aug. 9 -- the last day she saw the little girl.
Stapleton said on that day, Zahra seemed down and so she decided to take a picture to cheer her up. Zahra's stepmother, Elisa Baker, initially told her not to take the picture, Stapleton said, because Zahra's eye was bruised. But Stapleton insisted because she wanted to see the little girl smile.


I don't understand why the person who took this photo did not take this child with her when she left. How could anyone leave a child who looks like this. And as for the people who are saying they did not see the father abuse Zahra, but they saw the father watch the step-mother abuse Zahra...if they saw the father watch the step-mother abusing Zahra, then they were watching also, why did all these people do nothing???? It makes me sick when others know children are being abused and these people do nothing, as far as I'm concerned these people are responsible also. Does anyone know why this child was living with her father and step-mother instead of her bio-mom????

 

[nursebeeme]

In regards to the lung mets, it's likely she would be on pred to keep airway as optimal as possible...it's possible she was terminal, as well. Without knowing anything about what stage, type and the status of the tumors it's impossible to say. I have a feeling that if the osteo showed up in the lungs later it's pretty likely she'd relapsed again. Lung cancer is hard to beat, especially in a fragile child.

Still, not treating would result in a very painful, scary and difficult death. Even pred isn't going to help with pain from the cancer itself. I don't discount this possibility at all, however....that they refused treatment, and probably palliative care as well. Most certainly there was no comfort care.

just imo, of course.

In regards to someone taking physical action and removing her from her home to save her life, thereby being charged with kidnapping (from the talk back and forth on this thread i mean)...I just have to say...I doubt they'd bother reacting. It's clear they had no real love for this child...probably would be relieved to be rid of her.

just sayin....and that last bit probably made no sense.

one article (whew... it is in one of these threads) said the lung cancer was a secondary cancer... oftentimes when treated with radiation and/or chemo you can develop a secondary cancer that is not the result of metastisis. For example, as a hodgkin's disease survivor myself, after having chemo and radiation, I am more likely to develop leukemia, lymphoma and breast cancer.

We don't know really what stage her cancers were (the lung or the bone) and there has been no reporting on if she was in remission. Bottom line to me though is that she was able to have beaten this thing so far... and she seemed to be the sort that takes the dis out of disability. Her family member stated that she got around faster on one leg than most people do on two.

What these monsters have done to this child that had so very much ahead of her and such a sparkle about her... it is unspeakable. It is unforgivable. I hope that more comes to light on her actual cancer battle. You would be surprised at how many of us childhood~diagnosed cancer survivors there are. Many of us can lick it. I always say that I am glad I got cancer as a child because I wouldn't have been able to fight it so fearlessly as an adult.

sorry for the ramble


eta: found the link

The missing girl is hearing-impaired and wears a prosthetic leg, after having her lower left leg amputated as a result of bone cancer. She also survived secondary lung cancer.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...girl-zahra-baker/story-fn3dxix6-1225938337232

 

[Sherbie]

In partial defense of the NC child welfare workers -- the sad truth is that even if they had determined she was in danger, they might not have had a place to take her to. If NC is anything like MA, the foster care spots are full, the group homes are full, even the emergency care is full. Healthy kids have spent the night in hospital wards because it was the only safe bed to be found.

The problem isn't budget. The problem is not enough foster parents. The economy has caused many of the people who used to volunteer to require services themselves, and nobody has replaced them. There are plenty of sanctimonious people ready to scream when something goes wrong, but not so many willing to reach out and help a troubled child and maybe prevent a tragedy.

I am certainly not gonna fault DSS unless and until we find out they really did receive multiple complaints from many sources and discounted them as unfounded.

 

[Cubby]

In regards to the lung mets, it's likely she would be on pred to keep airway as optimal as possible...it's possible she was terminal, as well. Without knowing anything about what stage, type and the status of the tumors it's impossible to say.

Respectfully snipped. Technically there has been nothing released in the media to indicate this child was not still in remission while she was being brutally abused by her SM. Until and unless information is released to indicate she was no longer in remission we'll have to believe she was in fact still in remission. However, your post brings up a thought... With as sick as this SM was, it would not surprise me if the child had not had proper medical care from the time she moved to the states to know whether or not her cancer had returned. Ontop of all this child had to endure the thought is terribly depressing.... thud.

Now I am wondering... and I hate to even think this... would there be a way to determine if her cancer had returned considering how her remains are expected to be found? I can't bare to write it any differently.

 

[pinkpuddytat]

I'm waiting for the attorney to say just because she wrote the ransom note it's no proof she harmed the child....... :furious:

Well, it's actually not, of course. But it's proof of a criminal attempt to mislead police. IMO that sort of thing should be taken *much* more seriously in our legal system. Even if Zahra wasn't missing, MGF (initials of the SM's goth persona) should be locked up for that, and forced to undergo a psych exam. Of course, she should have already been locked up before she had a chance to write the note and lie to police about it, because she'd been formally charged with making serious threats of assault, actually employing a taser and gun in the course of making the threats, and then failed to show up for her court date on those charges. That, plus the laundry list of other outstanding charges against her, should have been plenty for the court to order police to go track her down and lock her up until and for the duration of her trial. And then, if Zahra was still alive back when that court date was missed, she'd still be alive now, and out of the clutches of MGF.

When are we going to stop waiting for habitual criminals to escalate to murder or maiming before forcibly putting a stop to their criminal careers? If you look at all the child killings that have been solved, the great majority were perpetrated by people who had significant criminal and/or mental illness histories that could have provided ample legal grounds for locking them up. But they weren't locked up because they hadn't done anything "bad enough" . . . yet.