NC - Zahra Clare Baker, 10, Hickory, 9 Oct 2010 - #12

[ExpectingUnicorns]

So far the only indication that we have concerning medical care being provided to Zarha since leaving Australia seems to be the pictures of her with her new hearing aids. Many have questioned how much follow-up care she was receiving.

I'm am feeling more and more uncomfortable with the possibility that, other than her hearing, her health problems were unattended and ignored. In spite of Zarha's infectious smile and dancing eyes ~ I believe she was still a pretty sick girl. The fact that the bone cancer had already metastasized to her lungs is a pretty important and poor prognosticator. From all accounts (and photos, too) it seems like Zarha was an exceptionally brave and wise child and probably didn't complain too much. This would make it very easy for SM and her father to delay or even ignore what should have been a very active program of medical care. I'm wondering if she had any at all. (Did they get her the hearing aid because they thought it might make their lives easier by not having to repeat themselves to her?)

I'm wondering if they might have so neglected her care that she didn't appear in public anymore towards the end because she was too sick. . . Maybe that's why no one had seen her for so long. My anxiety is further fueled by the father's statement about not having seen her because of the "virus" she had. Ha! As many here have pointed out, that should make a parent more likely to check on their child than "not want to disturb her."

I'm beginning to wonder if she died of unadulterated neglect ~ right in front of everyone. Could the SM and father have cared so little that it didn't matter to them until she died and then they realized that they would be in trouble? And what we see now is the result of their panic to try to hide their blame?

The claim of her having a virus is what sets me off most because liars so often have that one tiny grain of truth in their lies. This sweet, innocent angel could have been really, really sick and no one cared. . . :cry:

 

[Nosee_Parker]

Good morning WS.

Have been trawling through all the online newspapers this morning - no mention of Zahra. Mary McKillop's canonisation seems to be the feature story here today.

Interesting tid-bit reported by the neighbours that SM & AB returned to their former residence after dark. Could be innocent, i.e. just going to collect belongings or something more sinister. Whatever the reason, I just hope Zahra is located soon.

 

[LostInTheMyst]

thanks for all the replies. And welcomes! I keep trying to figure out why the dogs would hit on both vehicles. The idea of this precious child having gangrene is nauseating! But it would also explain a few things. I'm not sure that I believe that she did have anything that serious...just trying to make some sense of something that makes no sense....

 

[belimom]

...(snipped)...This sweet, innocent angel could have been really, really sick and no one cared. . . :cry:

I agree and it breaks my heart. However, I can only think of a handful of cancers that would kill someone in a matter of weeks (such as pancreatic cancer, etc). It is possible that she caught a secondary infection from the cancer if it had returned to her lungs (I think she was declared in remission in 2008 but like someone else posted the prognosis probably wasn't very good still). I really think she died at the hands of a very evil person...

 

[pinkpuddytat]

Wow, that report made my hair stand on end. Numerous neighbors are saying the same thing.

Why would her parents go back there weeks after they moved out? In the dark no less. Then people smelled the worst odor ever right after? They never smelled anything like it? I would say a good portion of people go through life not knowing what a corpse smells like. So that would be very memorable when they do. I believe these people.

I hope LE digs into this. This right here is really important. I have faith that they will do so though. LE in my opinion has done an excellent job trying to find this girl. They have left no stone unturned and my hearts go out to them.

That doesn't puzzle me at all. If she was a drug dealer, she almost certainly had customers in the immediate area, and had some familiar drop spots that she and her customers had used there.

 

[kalekona]

That doesn't puzzle me at all. If she was a drug dealer, she almost certainly had customers in the immediate area, and had some familiar drop spots that she and her customers had used there.

For that matter it certainly isn't out of the realm of possibility that she had customers right there at the trailer park.
She could have gone back there simply to deliver her product.

 

[westsidefox64]

So far the only indication that we have concerning medical care being provided to Zarha since leaving Australia seems to be the pictures of her with her new hearing aids. Many have questioned how much follow-up care she was receiving.

I'm am feeling more and more uncomfortable with the possibility that, other than her hearing, her health problems were unattended and ignored. In spite of Zarha's infectious smile and dancing eyes ~ I believe she was still a pretty sick girl. The fact that the bone cancer had already metastasized to her lungs is a pretty important and poor prognosticator. From all accounts (and photos, too) it seems like Zarha was an exceptionally brave and wise child and probably didn't complain too much. This would make it very easy for SM and her father to delay or even ignore what should have been a very active program of medical care. I'm wondering if she had any at all. (Did they get her the hearing aid because they thought it might make their lives easier by not having to repeat themselves to her?)

I'm wondering if they might have so neglected her care that she didn't appear in public anymore towards the end because she was too sick. . . Maybe that's why no one had seen her for so long. My anxiety is further fueled by the father's statement about not having seen her because of the "virus" she had. Ha! As many here have pointed out, that should make a parent more likely to check on their child than "not want to disturb her."
I'm beginning to wonder if she died of unadulterated neglect ~ right in front of everyone. Could the SM and father have cared so little that it didn't matter to them until she died and then they realized that they would be in trouble? And what we see now is the result of their panic to try to hide their blame?

The claim of her having a virus is what sets me off most because liars so often have that one tiny grain of truth in their lies. This sweet, innocent angel could have been really, really sick and no one cared. . . :cry:

BBM
ITA my 12 yr old son had a ecoli infection in his bowel from eating at a school thanksgiving wild game feast last year. I checked on him every 10 minutes to the point he finally said "Mom leave me alone im not dying!!" I just cant imagine not checking on a sick child, although I did knock it down to every 15 minutes LOL

 

[pinkpuddytat]

Looks like darlin gal answered most of your questions.

Here is a link for different kinds of bone cancer found in children. Maybe she has one of the first three...survival rates are included. Zahra also had mets to the lungs which would make her medical condition very iffy. moo

http://www.medicinenet.com/bone_cancer/page2.htm

I am somewhat positive that the hearing loss was a result of the chemotherapy she was given - twice. chemotherapy is very toxic and the docs must have thought that Zahra needed high doses for survival...those high doses of chemo can affect hearing and cause the high pitch hearing loss Zahra has. moo mho

If Zahra wasn't taken for any medical treatment - how is that not killing her?

In all the reports I've read detailing her cancer, it specified that the lung cancer was *not* a metastasis from the bone cancer, but rather a cancer that arose separately (which I gather is more common in people who have undergone radiation therapy and/or certain types of chemotherapy). SO not totally unrelated to the first cancer, but definitely a very different and less grim scenario than metastasis from leg bone to lungs.

 

[sweetmop]

I agree and it breaks my heart. However, I can only think of a handful of cancers that would kill someone in a matter of weeks (such as pancreatic cancer, etc). It is possible that she caught a secondary infection from the cancer if it had returned to her lungs (I think she was declared in remission in 2008 but like someone else posted the prognosis probably wasn't very good still). I really think she died at the hands of a very evil person...

I think the same way. Zahra died from evil! I don't believe it was a natural occuring death that AB and EB then tryed to cover up.

JMHO.

 

[pinkpuddytat]

She was walking about smiling in the furniture store 2 weeks before she went missing. I doubt she was suffering from gangrene. JMO

If EB was an oxycontin dealer, she could have easily given it to Zahra, and blocked out what would otherwise have been intense pain. Though presumably gangrene couldn't have been at more than the very earliest stages, or people would be recalling a stench along with the smile.

 

[strach304]

There could be a hundred different things that point to her being dead and they are just not making it public. We don't know what they know. They declared it a homicide several days ago, but they did not reveal why they classified it as such. Must be something to it.... LE doesn't usually take these things too lightly.

Yeah, really. Look how long it took them to declare Haleigh Cummins case a homicide investigation. I believe LE has forensics in this case that tell them so.

 

[eyes4crime]

In all the reports I've read detailing her cancer, it specified that the lung cancer was *not* a metastasis from the bone cancer, but rather a cancer that arose separately (which I gather is more common in people who have undergone radiation therapy and/or certain types of chemotherapy). SO not totally unrelated to the first cancer, but definitely a very different and less grim scenario than metastasis from leg bone to lungs.

I haven't read that, thanks for the info. Oftentimes bone cancer does metastasize to the lung. that's important info. moo

 

[bellyup]

Yes that report is an eye opener, for sure. I believe those people too. It is really strange that EB & AB would go back over there after several weeks have passed, and there is no logical explanation for them going back! I'm sure LE is investigating this area also. I know they want to figure this case all out as much as we want them too!

It could have been for hidden drugs, weapons or money. Sometimes people will bury them in "safe" places so they aren't caught.

It wouldn't explain the odor they claim ....

However, in EB's MS she DID mention one of the dogs dying I believe around the same time as the move. It's possible they decided to bury the dog there? I know I wanted to take one of my dogs back to an old house to bury her with her brother that she spent her entire life with (I didn't, but I really would have liked to)

EB seemed to actually like animals... a lot. They were probably the only thing in her life that was constant and actually liked her somewhat.

 

[eyes4crime]

I know it is incidental to the rest of this horror but I have been worried about those kitty cats all week

Me too clu - sounds like many of us are concerned. We all know how children are attached to their kittens and dogs. Who knows what despicable Elisa would do with 2 cats Zahra loves. moo

 

[darnudes]

Thanks for the link!

This is teh saddest picture for me:

Her little chin is so thin and sharp, she looks like she's starved.

Question of the Day

How did AB attain parental consent from the biological mother for Zahra's passport?

Who needs to give consent?

Before a passport may be issued to a child (anyone under 18 years who has never married) the written consent of all people with parental responsibility for the child is needed.
Where persons with parental responsibility are in separate locations the non-lodging persons may provide consent through their nearest passport office or Australian diplomatic mission or consulate.
In most cases people with parental responsibility are the parents named on the child’s full birth certificate.
Their parental responsibility can only be removed by an Australian court. Where a father is not named on a child’s birth certificate but has formally acknowledged paternity by signing a document to this effect, he has parental responsibility for the purposes of the Australian Passports Act 2005 and is required to provide consent prior to issue of a passport.

As well as the parents named on the child’s full birth certificate, a person may have parental responsibility through Australian court orders covering residence, contact, access rights, guardianship, custody, or other specific issues relating to the child. Institutions such as a government welfare agency may also have parental responsibility under an Australian court order.

https://www.passports.gov.au/Web/BrochuresWebPages/BrochureChildenParentalConsent.aspx

If you wish to make an application for a waiver of consent you must complete a statement on a form B9 and provide details of the circumstances (Download Form B9). The application will be referred to an Approved Senior Officer for decision.
https://www.passports.gov.au/Web/Newppt/B9_2005.pdf

https://www.passports.gov.au/Web/Newppt/ApplyingU18.aspx

Seems to me that AB did not obtain consent from Zahra's mother and probably applied for a "waiver of consent". I wonder if he gave correct and honest information on that application. There are massive fines for supplying false information.

 

[darnudes]

I do believe the above photo was their attempt to save some dosh and take the photos themselves. Passport photos from a camera store cost approx $10 AUD - now that the aud is at parity with the usd, same price.

 

[darnudes]

The basics

* 35-40mm wide and 45-50mm high
* good quality colour on high quality paper, with no ink or marks on the image
* plain, light-coloured background (e.g. cream or pale blue but not white)
* appropriate brightness and contrast and show your skin tones naturally
* uniform lighting (no shadows across or behind the face), sharp focus and clear
The photograph must:

* show head and top of shoulders close up, so that the face measures between 32mm and 36mm from the bottom of the chin to the crown (ie top of head without hair)
* show your shoulders square on (not looking over shoulder)
* show your face square on (edges of face visible)
* show you looking straight at the camera (not tilted head)
* be taken with a neutral expression and your mouth closed (not laughing or frowning
* show your eyes open and clearly visible, (no hair in eyes).

https://www.passports.gov.au/web/requirements/photos.aspx

 

[eyes4crime]

I do believe the above photo was their attempt to save some dosh and take the photos themselves. Passport photos from a camera store cost approx $10 AUD - now that the aud is at parity with the usd, same price.

Is it just me, or does anyone else think Zahra looks like a boy in this photo...wonder if this look was intentional. moo

 

[pinkpuddytat]

The little we've heard about Zahra's biological mother is that she has either not had or not exercised parental rights to Zahra since Zahra was about 8 months old. It's not clear whether the mother has had any contact with her at all since that time. But it's clear that her consent wouldn't have been needed to remove Zahra from Australia. If Zahra had disappeared from Australia without consent from a mother who had contact with her and a right to be consulted about such a move, I'm sure the mother would have raised h*!! through consular channels a long, long time ago. The move was sometime in 2008.

 

[sweetmop]

It could have been for hidden drugs, weapons or money. Sometimes people will bury them in "safe" places so they aren't caught.

It wouldn't explain the odor they claim ....

However, in EB's MS she DID mention one of the dogs dying I believe around the same time as the move. It's possible they decided to bury the dog there? I know I wanted to take one of my dogs back to an old house to bury her with her brother that she spent her entire life with (I didn't, but I really would have liked to)

EB seemed to actually like animals... a lot. They were probably the only thing in her life that was constant and actually liked her somewhat.

I hadn't even thought about their " business " of dealing drugs. You're probably right with those thoughts.
But EB didn't show much care to those poor kitties by leaving them there to fend for themselves. Guess that was another way for her to hurt little Zahra too. What a witch!