NC - Zahra Clare Baker, 10, Hickory, 9 Oct 2010 - #8

[passionflower]

They seem to have quite an interest in wood piles...another reason I think it's specific info they are getting.

Maybe LE recognize the scent still left of a deceased remains???
It's scattered or hidden everywhere.............
IMO, they have found little evidence and is still looking for more!
Hope LE keeps tabs on AB!!!

 

[Hopeful One]

An executive producer at WSOC-TV posted this on her twitter account about 5 minutes ago:

Bulldozer tearing apart wood pile in Burke Co. in search of Zahra Baker. Chopper 9 skyzoom video on wsoctv.com shortly.

A bulldozer??? Wouldn't they lose/destroy possible evidence that way?? I would think they would go through everything with a fine-tooth comb.

 

[SuziQ]

I'm sitting here questioning if they are starting to look at other family members as possible suspects. Seems far fetched ... but why else are they asking for interviews with the family members ? There is at least one other person I can think of that may have had the motive and opportunity to do something to Zhara.

There could be many reasons. IMO, this is a pretty standard request nowdays. Who knew what and when of the abuse. Some people might be facing charges. Admissions of drug dealing and use within the family could add up to drug charges. Profiling the dad by comparing notes. Trying to determine who last saw this child. And when this case goes to trial the DA will have alot of archived documentation to show the jury.

 

[watchful_eye]

I'm sitting here questioning if they are starting to look at other family members as possible suspects. Seems far fetched ... but why else are they asking for interviews with the family members ? There is at least one other person I can think of that may have had the motive and opportunity to do something to Zhara.

Bellyup: I think they just want to see if family and friends recall any strange, violent, or unusual behavior in the months leading up to the homicide. Clearly, they HAVE witnessed it--they sure aren't shy about spouting it all over the news.

I think it is routine for LE to interview friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors, and even former neighbors/co-workers/lovers/what have you to get any tidbits of what was going on in the suspect/POI --or--VICTIM's life prior to a violent incident.

 

[cluciano63]

I wonder if they are looking at the wood chips, if any, detected on the wood chipper, and then digging up piles of wood that are of the same type?

 

[Bubble1421]

It looks like this is the video that she was referring to....

http://www.wsoctv.com/video/25392797/index.html

 

[fran]

My apology if this has already been posted. I just can't keep up with you all!

Could this just be a misinterpretation of what LE said?

fran

http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-world/zahras-dad-uncooperative-20101015-16m4z.html

Zahra's dad uncooperative

The Australian father of missing 10-year-old Zahra Baker has reportedly been labelled uncooperative by US police as they continue trying to work out what happened to her.

The lead policeman in the case, John McDevitt, told ABC America that he doesn't believe what Adam Baker has told them and he's not sure that his concern for Zahra is genuine.

 

[Savmom]

A bulldozer??? Wouldn't they lose/destroy possible evidence that way?? I would think they would go through everything with a fine-tooth comb.

Obviously the media reporting this does not know the difference between bulldozer and backhoe.

The piece of equipment they are using to search the wood pile is a backhoe NOT a bulldozer (big difference).

 

[AquaEyes]

I believe the reason they are interviewing other family members is to try and better establish a timeline of when Zahra was last seen alive. It seems from what I've read and watched, that there is a huge discrepancy in what the parents say about the last time they saw Zahra. And since she was home schooled, there are less people who had opportunity to see her. In addition to establishing a timeline, interviews may establish some good witnesses to testify regarding the abuse.

AquaEyes

 

[tehcloser]

A bulldozer??? Wouldn't they lose/destroy possible evidence that way?? I would think they would go through everything with a fine-tooth comb.

I'm thinking from the size of those logs, and the safety of searchers, they are having to spread the pile out first. Logs are bad about rolling and that's a BIG pile.

 

[pinkpuddytat]

WSOC-TV said it was told by police investigators they have confirmed that Zahra was still alive when her family moved to Hickory. Earlier this week, Hickory police said they were having trouble finding people who had seen Zahra "recently." But police told WSOC that they are convinced the girl was alive about a month ago.

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/20...ng-girl-now-believed-to-be.html#ixzz12MNrIHEn​

Another snippet that caught my attention:

"It's very disappointing," Burke County Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Becky Weatherman told reporters. "If she's deceased, we would like to provide closure for the family."

It's just hopeful to see an indication that they might not be 100% sure she's dead, despite having labelled this a homicide investigation. MGF certainly strikes me as capable of selling her stepdaughter for drug money.

Remembering the Shannon Dedrick case, I don't want to completely give up hope while there's any snippet of hope left. I think all of us who followed that case were pretty sure little Shannon was dead at the hands of *that* Baker woman -- a babysitter with a conviction for severe child abuse and and an indictment on a child homicide charge re a child who was never found. I went to bed around 2AM, sure there was no hope left, checked the thread the next morning, and found that shortly after I'd gone to bed, police had thrown a wee-hours presser where they carried in darling little unharmed Shannon, who'd been found in a box under the bed of the child-abuser/indicted-for-child murder-babysitter (a bed shared with her husband, whose biological children were the subject of her conviction/charge!).

OT, but Susan Baker was just convicted on all counts a couple of weeks ago. Link, which includes a picture of darling little Shannon, I believe from the middle-of-the-night presser: http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/103920388.html

 

[impatientredhead]

A bulldozer??? Wouldn't they lose/destroy possible evidence that way?? I would think they would go through everything with a fine-tooth comb.

my only thought is they have reason to believe biodad put fallen trees on top of a burial site and they moving it to get access

 

[Shutterfly]

Hmmm. This is interesting. Why does LE want this?

And the Hickory police on Thursday afternoon asked media outlets in the region for any video interviews of family members.

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/20...ng-girl-now-believed-to-be.html#ixzz12MNIU3ZD​

Oh look, that bus I thought heard coming, that EB or AB was going to throw the other under, appears to be getting closer. What's that, I think I can make out the writing on the side of it from here. Does it say "THE TRUTH" on the side of that bus?? I'm thinking now that perhaps it's just going to run them both over.

 

[eleni777]

It looks like this is the video that she was referring to....

http://www.wsoctv.com/video/25392797/index.html

Hmmmm, from the video it looks like they're trying to move the logs so the cadaver dog can sniff at the ground. Possibly she was buried and then a pile of logs placed on top of the burial spot.

IMO, the dog didn't seem that "interested" but I don't know what an "alert" would look like.

 

[Kat]

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/search-zahra-baker-community-speaks-11878154


Just in case anyone missed it. Good coverage.

LE spokesman giving statement that he does not believe AB.

 

[Amster]

I think it's very possible. It crossed my mind earlier that the charge may even be a bunch of bologna. My friend from HS and her "baby daddy" have these trashy domestic fights all the time and he had her arrested for supposedly running him off the road once. You can be charged with attempted assault with a deadly weapon (car) for doing that. So anyway, I'm always a little skeptical when someone says they were "run off the road." That's probably not fair of me, but it's true.

I believe there was more than just running off the road...like a taser and possibly a gun....

 

[hollye]

Drug use kept relatives from contacting DSS about Zahra

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

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.

"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."

 

[majikposhun]

Drug use kept relatives from contacting DSS about Zahra

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

 

[tehcloser]

Hmmmm, from the video it looks like they're trying to move the logs so the cadaver dog can sniff at the ground. Possibly she was buried and then a pile of logs placed on top of the burial spot.

IMO, the dog didn't seem that "interested" but I don't know what an "alert" would look like.

I think the dog did hit and then they cleared out more where he hit. They sent the dog back to the spot...and the clip ended. But, I'm not an expert, lol.

 

[kalekona]

Forgive me if im wrong and feel free to set me straight. I dont recall anyone except BB saying AB saw SM abusing Zahra. From what ive seen of BB I dont truely believe everything she says. something about her brings up my hinky meter.
I also dont totally believe SM is the dominate partner, she very well may be but it could just be that hes at work while shes at home causing conflict.
I cant imagine anyone especially a grown man being forced to try to run someone over with a car. IMO they are partners in crime. I think hes probley just as dark of a person as she is. I honestly think he has a bad side but I cant see him abusing a daughter he took care of thru cancer.

I don't fully buy everything BB says either (this family is reminding me of my step-fathers family- his sister locked her own mother out of the mothers house..crazy people)
I know that if AB was fully involved with the abuse EB wouldn't have needed to lie about how she hurt her hand- so I think a lot of abuse took place when he was out of the home.
Can't get past the locked in her room and given only 5 minutes to eat- if true dad has to answer for that for sure.
I think drugs are at the center of this whole family's dysfunction which includes the criminal issues.
I'm not saying AB is a saint who wouldn't say boo to an ant- I'm just saying from everything that we KNOW RIGHT NOW (that is always open for change as the case continues) he was a good father before he meet EB.