Zahra Baker is Dead: DNA Match of Bone Found

Although it was expected, it is with heavy hearts that we hear of a DNA match of Zahra Baker to a bone found by investigators last week. Police found more human remains this week that they believe are the rest of Zahra's body.

Zahra Baker's stepmother remains in jail after leading police to a creek in Caldwell County, North Carolina this week where they found additional remains that they believe are Zahra's. Last week, police found a prosthetic leg that has been confirmed by Australian authorities to be Zahra's and a bone fragment that was just confirmed today to match the DNA of 10 year old Zahra Baker.

Zahra Baker was reported missing by her father, Adam Baker and her stepmother, Elisa Baker on October 9, 2010. The couple reported a confusing story of backyard fires, ransom notes and possible kidnappings in their 911 call. Apparently they were trying to lead Police in the wrong direction.

Elisa Baker has been indicted on two counts of obstruction of justice for lying to police about where Zahra is and for admitting to writing a fake ransom note that threatened Adam Baker's boss' daughter. Adam Baker is free on bail for unrelated charges and denying any involvement in his daughters disappearance.

During her incarceration, Elisa Baker has admitted in letters to family, friends and a serial killer website owner, that she knew where Zahra was because "Zahra isn't missing" and that they "didn't really kill her", but that Adam did something "kinda horrifying" after the fact. Her attorney keeps advising her to keep her mouth shut but she believes that it is important to get her side of the story out.

Zahra was born in Australia to Adam Baker and Emily Dietrich. Her mother gave custody to Adam when Zahra was a baby because she had post partum depression. Zahra survived bone cancer which left her with a prosthetic leg above the left knee and two hearing aids.

After Adam Baker met Elisa online, the two wed and he and Zahra moved to North Carolina to live with Elisa. Friends, family and neighbors have stated that Elisa was physically and verbally abusive to Zahra and that they had reported to social services but nothing was done before the girl went missing.

The last time someone other than Adam or Elisa saw the beautiful Zahra was on September 25, 2010. Two mattresses believed to belong to Zahra were found in a local landfill. Police believe that the mattresses were dumped at least a week before the October 9 call to 911 to report Zahra missing.

Emily Dietrich arrived in North Carolina this week from Australia. She has not seen Zahra since she was a baby.

Source:

USA Today 11/12/10