Zahra Baker's Biological Mother

[bellyup]

http://www.smh.com.au/world/at-last-zahra-can-be-laid-to-rest-20101113-17ruq.html

'The freckle-faced girl with the beaming smile was rejected at birth by her mother..'

Untrue, and mean. Emily wanted to be in Zahra's life, she was awarded joint custody, but her attempts to see Zahra and maintain contact were thwarted.

I'm not sure that this is a "twisting of the truth". I think it's a matter of opinion. I know it's taboo to have a questioning opinion of ED right now, but I still do. Out of respect for a fellow mother I'm not out there ranting about it as I think the poster on the news site is correct (paraphrasing ... " ED is neither a monster nor a hero" ) I think it does Zahra an injustice if NO ONE delves into what really happened and finds out FACTS and TRUTH. The events leading to Zahra being placed with AB absolutely played into what ultimately happened IMO and we need to look at that in an objective (not looking at only the grieving mom) way if we want to try and prevent these types of things in the future.

I've seen KB take some serious hits (even here on WS) but the minute anyone questions anything to do with ED it's not permitted?

 

[Fyrecat]

http://www.smh.com.au/world/at-last-zahra-can-be-laid-to-rest-20101113-17ruq.html

'The freckle-faced girl with the beaming smile was rejected at birth by her mother..'

Untrue, and mean. Emily wanted to be in Zahra's life, she was awarded joint custody, but her attempts to see Zahra and maintain contact were thwarted.

A) As per what I have read, she wasn't rejected at all. Emily had severe depression. She did what most good, rational adults would do. She turned to the child's father. This is not unreasonable. Nor unexpected. Zahra appeared to have lived with her dads mom, who appears to have provided adaquate and appropriate care for her. Again, normal. Many men work and look to 'extended' family to help care for a child. I'm sure AB didn't have the resources to stay home and look after Zahra. He needed help with day to day care.

B) Many non custodial parents lose contact with their children. Perhaps their ex partners have issues with them, or are just not keen to share parenting. I speak for a little exprience. My husbands first wife disseapeared with their daughter for quite a few years. She isn't a 'bad' person, she was just not thinking rationally at that point. It was wrong, but it happens.

My husband also did his best to try to find his daughter. It wasn't until she was 13 that her mom resurfaced and bridges were mended. My husband lacked the resources to track her when she was gone.

Things happen. I beleive that Emily did her best. We don't know why Adam didn't keep in contact. Sometimes there are no real reasons. Perhaps it as a bit of passive aggressive behavior toward Emily. People do all sorts of odd things, not all of which make any sense at all.

In the 'normal' way of things, Emily would hopefully have reunited with her daughter somewhere down the line.

However, sadly, that wasn't the path this went.

My thoughts and prayers are with this little mom, who got hit with a ton of bricks and didn't deserve it at all!

 

[AnaTeresa]

I'm not sure that this is a "twisting of the truth". I think it's a matter of opinion. I know it's taboo to have a questioning opinion of ED right now, but I still do. Out of respect for a fellow mother I'm not out there ranting about it as I think the poster on the news site is correct (paraphrasing ... " ED is neither a monster nor a hero" ) I think it does Zahra an injustice if NO ONE delves into what really happened and finds out FACTS and TRUTH. The events leading to Zahra being placed with AB absolutely played into what ultimately happened IMO and we need to look at that in an objective (not looking at only the grieving mom) way if we want to try and prevent these types of things in the future.

I've seen KB take some serious hits (even here on WS) but the minute anyone questions anything to do with ED it's not permitted?

For me, at least, both Val and the Australia reporter have sleuthed a bit and verified ED's story. While I know there are two sides to every story, I believe the bulk of what ED is saying and empathize with her situation. It's horrific.

I'm harsh on KB because it seems she has been complicit in keeping Zahra from her biological mother. She apparently had reservations about AB and Zahra moving to the US, but didn't seem to follow up. If Zahra hadn't had any follow-up medical care, why wasn't KB reporting it? Furthermore, she's been standing with AB. Even if AB didn't actively harm Zahra, he had to be aware of what was occurring. Given the hinky situation that ED allegedy reached out to KB three days before Zahra was reported missing - well, I know who I have a better opinion of.

 

[songline]

SADLY
This will be one of the hardest cases to put together.
Meaning: to get to cause of death, to tie the culprit to the death, this case is definitely a challenge for LE.

God Bless them, it is probably the hardest case any of them LE had to deal with.

It does not matter that I think you should lock them up and put an alligator in their cell.
It only matters what they can tie to this case

As for the bio MOM - God bless her, it will take a long time for her to accept how her daughter is gone!

 

[Belinda]

I'm so very glad that Emily was shown the good side of the US people, to offset the bashing she has received. I hope all the kindness shown her will erase the hurt from what has been printed. She has so many more supporters than detractors. I hope she knows that.

I, too, agree that Zahra is pure Emily. That is where her personality and looks came from. It is so obvious. I wonder if that irritated AB?

 

[Carolina Girl]

My prayers for Emily and her Family in Australia. She did show much grace. I pray with things to come that she can maintain that dignity.

 

[Melanie]

Bless her and the life she's endured since having baby Z. And bless Z for knowing her mum came to see her (sorry, I just know she was looking down from heaven). I know Z will always be her gaurdian angel from here on out.

Hugs,

Mel

 

[westsidefox64]

Im so glad shes going home to a loving family! I wouldnt want to be engulfed in the middle of all this when I had a place to be thats full of love and warmth. I pray she finds peace and closure soon. ((((HUGS)))) Emily you have truely touched my heart!

 

[Scamperoo]

Emily certainly comes across as a caring and decent human being, and I am sure she is. Her words are gracious and full of gratitude for Zahra's "adopted" community of Hickory NC. Emily had the media's full attention- she could have been full of bitterness, rage and judgment... but she took the high road, and good for her. So unlike someone else whose name will not be mentioned!!

She is a very strong woman and clearly Zahra takes after her, so gracious despite the awful tragedy and loss, what a very courageous person she is.

As to the "others" raging, spewing vitriol and penning poisonous and hateful messages, maybe they should look to themselves and their own motives before they start casting stones. JMHO!!!

 

[bellyup]

For me, at least, both Val and the Australia reporter have sleuthed a bit and verified ED's story. While I know there are two sides to every story, I believe the bulk of what ED is saying and empathize with her situation. It's horrific.

I'm harsh on KB because it seems she has been complicit in keeping Zahra from her biological mother. She apparently had reservations about AB and Zahra moving to the US, but didn't seem to follow up. If Zahra hadn't had any follow-up medical care, why wasn't KB reporting it? Furthermore, she's been standing with AB. Even if AB didn't actively harm Zahra, he had to be aware of what was occurring. Given the hinky situation that ED allegedy reached out to KB three days before Zahra was reported missing - well, I know who I have a better opinion of.

I think VAL (on HM) only verified her identity when she was posting on HM. I don't think she went passed that but I may have missed something as I don't post on HM or read there often. Is there something I missed?

I also haven't heard the Oz news report any verification (ie; Channel XX was permitted to see a police report filed by ED on 00-00-00 requesting they check into Zahra's whereabouts." or "Channel XX was given copies of what appear to be joint custody papers between EB and AB." etc). I would think those things would be important for ED to have out there and verified if she doesn't want people questioning her. KWIM ?

If there has been any verified proof of court docs, custody papers, police contact, statement from a Doctor about the PPD, information about them leaving OZ illegally , etc. I'd love to see it. So far I haven't seen anything verified from ED's story. I have reason to believe from things I've seen posted elsewhere that there is more to ED's story. However, I would love to be able to say "No. ED is being 100% truthful and here is PROOF."

 

[AnaTeresa]

I seem to remember on one of the threads Val mentioning she had verified her and believed her story. There may have been more detail to it, or maybe not - it was from one of the long threads. I don't really visit HM, but I'll see if I can find something definitive whether it was identity or identity and story.

As far as Australian news, I'm basing that on the one reporter who's been with ED (Robert Ovadia, I think?), who went on Nancy Grace. He spoke assertively about the actions she had done and referenced her going to the courts. I took that as stating he had verified her story, because he also was presenting it as fact. I'm remembering statements about viewing some of her documentation from him, but I can't remember if that was Nancy Grace, or some other program. I'll try to hunt it down. Off the top of my head, I can't remember specifically, but I feel like there was some statement about verifying her story somewhere.

I'll see what I can find for you.

 

[MomofBoys]

I do feel terribly for ED. If she was working hard to find Zahra only to be met with...this...I can't even imagine the desolation she must feel.

I try not to be too harsh on those who have skepticism in regards to her, though. To judge them would be to judge myself, because at first I had some unkind thoughts about her. Finding her right as the story broke seemed convenient. Arriving with a camera crew seemed opportunistic. Postpartum depression doesn't last forever, and it seemed almost inconceivable that she couldn't make contact for almost ten years.

The more I learned, the more I adjusted my mindset. I suffer from OCD and clinical depression--I know how hard mental illness can be. Would I give up my children? No. But I was blessed enough to not suffer from PPD and I have a strong and supportive family network around me.

I think NG was too harsh. I think she does more good than harm in the greater scheme of things, but it doesn't help the individuals who have her judgement cast at them. That said, I'm not going to call people hateful and evil because they don't buy ED's explanation wholesale. If she was somehow involved, I'd have 100s of questions. She's not, though, and to bludgeon her with recrimination and ugliness seems cruel. Regardless of her reasons for giving up Zahra, she now has lost her forever. Why anyone would want to torture her with guilt is beyond me.

 

[sreshowtime]

Hello...I am new & haven't had a chance to post until now. But I have been closely following the story of Zahra on here. Y'all really do a fantastic job and have hearts as big as the sky.
Thank you darlin gal for posting the interview. I was wondering this morning how Emily was doing...bless her heart. What a kind gesture for the family to invite her to dinner. I know she left realizing not everyone has bad thoughts towards her.
She certainly appears to have more feelings than others in Zahra's family, hmm?

 

[bellyup]

I seem to remember on one of the threads Val mentioning she had verified her and believed her story. There may have been more detail to it, or maybe not - it was from one of the long threads. I don't really visit HM, but I'll see if I can find something definitive whether it was identity or identity and story.

As far as Australian news, I'm basing that on the one reporter who's been with ED (Robert Ovadia, I think?), who went on Nancy Grace. He spoke assertively about the actions she had done and referenced her going to the courts. I took that as stating he had verified her story, because he also was presenting it as fact. I'm remembering statements about viewing some of her documentation from him, but I can't remember if that was Nancy Grace, or some other program. I'll try to hunt it down. Off the top of my head, I can't remember specifically, but I feel like there was some statement about verifying her story somewhere.

I'll see what I can find for you.

Thanks... all the reports I've seen indicate clearly that it is ED's "story". I haven't seen any types of verification for any of her claims however.

 

[MandyLeigh]

I am so glad the community had class and showed her love instead of hate. It was nice of those people to invite her to dinner and give her a taste of normal as well. A hot meal with kind people is good medicine.

My hope for her now is a safe return and custody of Zahra's remains when the examinations are complete.

 

[Clue Hopper]

No words here.

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/25801554/detail.html

 

[sherryk]

My prayers go out to ED. I have a feeling that she is strong woman yet very frail emotionally.. how much more can she take? I am hoping that she recieves the proper care to help her through this.

If I were her I would want to be as far away from AB as possible due to I would probally try and take justice into my own hands.

I hope and pray that Nancy Grace does NOT bash this woman for returning home.. perhaps the few memories she has of Zahra is close at home.

If NG starts in on her tonight I will be very upset. I wish that NG would give a heartfelt apoolgy for bashing ED before knowing the facts or even judging her at all.

The evil is AB and EB. Please Nancy Grace dont punish the victem again.

 

[NancyA]

Thanks... all the reports I've seen indicate clearly that it is ED's "story". I haven't seen any types of verification for any of her claims however.

Good point, but just because the verification hasn't been published doesn't mean it doesn't exist, I doubt this or any reporter worth his salt no matter how compassionate would risk his reputation by not doing some checking out of ED's story.

Also, it occurs to me that - other than a few facebook salvos from AB's family and friends and they are hardly an impartial source - we really haven't seen anyone come out and officially REFUTE any of ED's claims have we? JMO.

 

[AnaTeresa]

Ok, from the transcript of the Nancy Grace show I was remembering. It seems that RO was less definitive in how he stated things than I remembered. For some reason, I was remembering a reference to the documents she kept, but perhaps that was another interview. Still, I find his statements assertive enough that I believe he's asserting what he's determined to be fact.

ROBERT OVADIA, 7 NETWORK AUSTRALIA: I have to say, in the three or four hours that I spent with her a couple of days ago, that seemed very, very much like raw emotion to me. This is a woman who says she is without means. She had post-natal depression -- post-partum depression I think you call it in the United States -- and it was a struggle for her. But she did try over and over again to follow Adam Baker and was absolutely stunned to learn only three days before Zahra was reported missing that he had gone to the States.

GRACE: But what I don`t understand, Robert Ovadia, did she ever go to police to report her daughter taken?

OVADIA: She did, Nancy. She initially went to police and went through the court system in Australia. That`s how she initially found him. She was given visitation rights for a couple of times, and then she says he took off again. When she managed to track him down, he took off again.

GRACE: Did she go to police again, Robert?

OVADIA: She went a couple of times, and that`s it. Now, there might be a few blanks in Emily Dietrich`s story that we certainly have to iron out. But she is insistent she loved her daughter, that she continued to want to see her daughter, and that Adam Baker kept on preventing her from doing so.

Source: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1011/08/ng.01.html

CASAREZ: When was the last time that she ever saw Zahra?

OVADIA: From my understanding, it was about eight years ago, Jean, which is a very, very long time. This started when Emily had post-partum depression. She passed Zahra on to Adam Baker when Zahra was about 9 months old. He hung around for a couple months, then one day he just took off. Emily turned up to see her daughter, and there was nothing there. The entire house was bare.

It`s taken her a good year or so, from my understanding, to then track him down and track Zahra down again. She was granted the right to see him, as had been decreed by the court. But then not long after that, he took off again. This happened over the space of a number of years. And she first realized that Zahra had been taken out of the country and to the United States only three days before she was reported missing, Jean.

Source: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1011/12/ng.01.html

I also remembered wiseoldowl's post. I'm not sure if they have additional sources, but they also alleged that Ovadia had seen the documents. They may have something additional from the Ovadia that I just can't seem to find - and may be where I'm getting the verified documents idea from.

Just FWIW - the reporter in Australia that did the interview says that he's seen the documents and talked to her extensively and he believes every word she is saying.

And also FWIW - I do too.

Still looking for the Val and HM stuff, but this is the bulk of what I was thinking of. I'm thinking it probably won't be definitive enough for you, but I tried!

 

[DLT88]

A) As per what I have read, she wasn't rejected at all. Emily had severe depression. She did what most good, rational adults would do. She turned to the child's father. This is not unreasonable. Nor unexpected. Zahra appeared to have lived with her dads mom, who appears to have provided adaquate and appropriate care for her. Again, normal. Many men work and look to 'extended' family to help care for a child. I'm sure AB didn't have the resources to stay home and look after Zahra. He needed help with day to day care.

B) Many non custodial parents lose contact with their children. Perhaps their ex partners have issues with them, or are just not keen to share parenting. I speak for a little exprience. My husbands first wife disseapeared with their daughter for quite a few years. She isn't a 'bad' person, she was just not thinking rationally at that point. It was wrong, but it happens.

Things happen. I beleive that Emily did her best. We don't know why Adam didn't keep in contact. Sometimes there are no real reasons. Perhaps it as a bit of passive aggressive behavior toward Emily. People do all sorts of odd things, not all of which make any sense at all.

In the 'normal' way of things, Emily would hopefully have reunited with her daughter somewhere down the line.

However, sadly, that wasn't the path this went.

My thoughts and prayers are with this little mom, who got hit with a ton of bricks and didn't deserve it at all!

There was something I started to think about in regards to Emily's long post-natal depression after Zahra's birth. I have seen men (my brother is one of them) who seem to take a heavy mental-health toll on their spouses. I've seen women commit suicide when with these men. My brother's wives always start out as very happy young women, full of life, hope, and beauty. Within 2 years of the marriage, they are in a depression and on medication. One even got that phobia where she was afraid to leave the house -- and she used to be quite social before she married him.

So I'm wondering if AB isn't this same kind of man who carries around his own heavy mental-health burden and then this passes on to his spouse whose mental health declines rapidly. I'm wondering if this isn't what happened with Emily since she has had 2 children since Zahra and seems to be ok. Perhaps Emily HAD to get away from Adam in order to heal.

I think EB was a 'mental case' to begin with so she was already pretty far gone by the time he hooked up with her, but maybe possibly, she got even worse living with him.