Zahra Baker: Family and Neighbors Come Forward with Child Abuse Allegations; Homicide Investigation Begins

Zahra Baker, the 10-year-old girl missing from Hickory, N. Carolina, was reportedly the victim of child abuse at the hands of her stepmother, Elisa Baker. This is one of the most disturbing aspects of this developing story as a number of people have come forward with reports of abuse against Zahra after-the-fact.

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, a report must be made when an individual knows or has reasonable cause to believe or suspect that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect.

The state of North Carolina does not have statutes imposing penalties for failure to report instances of child abuse. Since there is no risk of legal action, those who witness child abuse have no incentive to make reports and in the case of Zahra Baker, those who knew of abuse came forward only after the girl disappeared.

Brittany Bentley, who is married to Elisa Baker's nephew, told 'The Early Show', "She was beat almost every time I was over there for just the smallest things. Elisa would get mad, she would take it out on Zahra, things the kid didn't deserve. She just had a horrible home life."

Kayla Rotenberry, a former Baker neighbor, said she grew close with the Bakers when they lived down the street from her but grew suspicious of Elisa Baker because of her outlandish stories and quick temper.

"There were warning signs along the way," Rotenberry said. "But you never want to think the worst. I just think this was something for a long time that we knew was going to happen, everybody that was close to the family," Bentley said.

They knew it was going to happen but yet did nothing to help Zahra.

Neighbor Renee Bobbitt told ABC News, "Just the way she yelled and screamed at her, and I did see her hit the child a couple of times."

Zahra's own father Adam Baker, a native of Australia who reportedly met his wife on the Internet, has said publicly that he believes it is possible his wife, who referred to Zahra as "The Dark Child" on her MySpace page, could be involved in the disappearance of his daughter.

Elisa Baker's public MySpace blog posts have exploded with angry comments from people who want to know what she did with Zahra, among other things.

Hickory Police Chief Announces Beginning of Homicide Investigation:

Hickory police chief Tom Adkins struggled to maintain his composure when he announced he was changing the Amber Alert on Zahra, saying, "The decision to focus this investigation from a missing child, or abducted child, will turn into a homicide investigation."

Police have not named any suspects in Zahra Baker's disappearance, but police are taking a careful look at Elisa Baker, who, according to CBS News, confessed to writing the $1 million ransom note found at the scene. She has been charged with obstruction of justice.

The note, addressed to Mr. Baker's boss, made it appear Zahra's disappearance was a case of mistaken identity stranger abduction with the boss' daughter the intended victim. The note was designed to throw off detectives investigating the case.

The Baker's told police they last saw Zahra Saturday, October 9 at 2:30 a.m. Police have cast doubt on their account of events and have been unable to determine exactly how long the girl has been missing. They have been unable to find anyone outside the Baker home that has seen the girl in the last month.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children describe Zahra as a white female with light brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a camouflage Army t-shirt with "Work Army" on the front and black knee-length tights.

If you have any information about this case, you may call either the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or the Hickory, North Carolina Police Department at 1-828-328-5551.

Sources:
Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families
Zahra Baker Case Becomes Homicide Investigation - ABC News
Stepmom Beat, Locked Up Missing Girl, Kin Say - The Early Show - CBS News
Zahra Clare Baker: Stepmom Elisa Baker Held on Charge Related to Missing N.C. Girl - Crimesider - CBS News
Myspace.com/gothicfairy6668, Elisa Baker