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

[6angels]

am I missing a interview from the dad? I was gone. But read on last page you guys talking about things he has said. is there a link?

 

[sarx]

Nice, no chance of rain today or tomorrow, but quite windy.

Wind makes it a challenge, and the deluge of rain that happened yesterday didn't help (even if it didn't last long). Gotta love the fall.

 

[pinkpuddytat]

Could be. The shelf-life of her information, though, is short, in terms of it fitting the narrative of this case as it breaks, and thus having financial value; I assume she's just a private person who would like to be left alone. Hard to imagine that in this day and age, especially in the U.S.; but she's in Australia.

Then why talk at all, especially to give tear-jerking tales about having been searching for her daughter for 5 years, only to ending up learning when she was via media reports that she was missing and presumed dead on the other side of the globe? A "private person" would certainly agree to answer investigators' questions privately, but investigators would not divulge information that wasn't directly relevant to the investigation if the non-suspect source had requested privacy.

 

[NancyA]

Just popping in, as I married a UK'er. We were married in the US, but still had to go through the whole immigration process -- including an interview to make sure our wedding wasn't a hoax. I had to bring in pics of our wedding/reception -- anything that would convince the screener we were legit.

My husband still had to get a permanent resident card, all while waiting to become a US citizen (hopefully this January wahoo). It's not cheap either -- all the appointments, etc., set us back a couple grand -- but that's okay.

IMHO if the dad received a permanent resident card, then zahra would too. This would allow the both of them SS #'s and allow the dad to work legally and get a US driver's license. You can only drive on an international one for 90 days (I believe).

Wonder if he went the legal route??

MOO

Mel

You and me both (I'm the reverse of your situation married an American and I'll be applying for citizenship in the New Year too) I honestly don't believe they did go the legal route. I misunderstood before and thought they had married here but they actually married in Australia. However that may be the green card process is just the same if you're applying while still outside the US, it just takes longer because everything has to be done through the US Embassy, people I know who have done it that way have had to wait at the very MINIMUM a year therefore I can't believe that AB and Zahra were processed and issued with Green Cards between the wedding in July 08 and coming here in Nov 08 I just can't and nothing about EB convinces me she would have been bothered to address it once they got here.

 

[Bodhi]

And did you notice how he said "if the girl wants to go". THE GIRL? How disconnected can one be? What, he can't say "my daughter" -- is that because he wants to distance himself away from her emotionally?

It just really irks me when parents refer to their children as "the kid", or "boy/girl". Children have names, and missing ones (especially) deserve a little more respect.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Mel

I lived in Ireland for awhile. It was common for people to say "the mother" rather than "my mother." Perhaps it is in Australia also.

 

[big4dropout]

Oh and one more thing. Ever been in an attic in NC in the summer? Yowzers. I don't think you could survive that. You could practically fry an egg in my parents' attic.

 

[passionflower]

How can we find out if AB was in any kind of trouble therefore him wanting to flee AU to come to US???
Was he hunting a wife on internet just to get to US????
I would like to sleuth AB more.
He had reasons to leave his family, job, health care, homeland behind.

 

[bellyup]

Or maybe the dogs are just plain worn out? They took them to a lot of spots. Maybe it was time to bring in some fresh, willing noses. I don't know if there is a rule for how long a dog is allowed to sniff or anything like that, but they might be taking a nap and their buddies are filling in for them.

I hate to think that LE just didn't trust the first ones.

ETA: I really do wonder about this. I'm not trying to be sarcastic or anything. I don't know how this works with cadaver dogs.

I think LE has pretty much stated that the "hits" turned out to be "false leads" from the first dogs. So it would be prudent to bring in different dogs.

 

[pinkpuddytat]

I also wonder if SM gave Zahra drugs.
Did Zahra's lung cancer start spreading?
Did it hit into her brain?
Parents never took her to a doctor.
Zahra was crying in pain so SM dosed her up so
SM wouldn't have to BOTHER with Zahra???
Could Zahra have had a bad abcess on her nub from bad
fitting leg?

Seems quite likely, especially given that we've heard EB was dealing painkillers. What better way to shut up an annoying kid who was whining about the pain from her recurring cancer and her no-longer-fitting prosthetic leg, than to dope her up with oxycontin?

 

[sarx]

I agree. I think they are trying to figure out why they are getting so many hits, but they aren't coming up with any real evidence that she was there. It doesn't make sense esp. at the work site since the chippers have been ruled out. There has to be a main site for evidence at least I would think.

BBM
How do we know that they haven't come up with any real evidence? Not trying to be snarky at all. Just trying to point out the fact that the general public generally has little idea what is really going on behind the yellow line, and for the sake of an investigation and future criminal case it needs to be that way.

 

[westsidefox64]

I have a question that may already have been answered and I just missed it but what is the population ? Not that it has alot of bearing but im picturing a rather small town. Im also wondering if alot of what is being reported is just small town gossip ...This comming from a woman who is from a town of 500.

 

[bellyup]

I agree. I think they are trying to figure out why they are getting so many hits, but they aren't coming up with any real evidence that she was there. It doesn't make sense esp. at the work site since the chippers have been ruled out. There has to be a main site for evidence at least I would think.

I REALLY wish a darn reporter would find out what these dogs are trained to detect. I know that media is saying they are cadaver dogs but we have no official word that they are. It would just tell me a lot to know how these dogs are trained. Does anyone have any photos or videos of the dogs they are using ? I might be able to tell how they are trained by breed and how they are working them.

 

[Soul125]

BBM
How do we know that they haven't come up with any real evidence? Not trying to be snarky at all. Just trying to point out the fact that the general public generally has little idea what is really going on behind the yellow line, and for the sake of an investigation and future criminal case it needs to be that way.

Very true. I know we don't have all the details in an ongoing investigation for good reason.

 

[big4dropout]

I have a question that may already have been answered and I just missed it but what is the population ? Not that it has alot of bearing but im picturing a rather small town. Im also wondering if alot of what is being reported is just small town gossip ...This comming from a woman who is from a town of 500.

Hickory (the Baker's most recent home): about 40,000.
Hudson (where they previously lived in a trailer): about 3,000.
Granite Falls (where they previously lived in an apartment/duplex, the one with the attic): about 5,000.

 

[Soul125]

I REALLY wish a darn reporter would find out what these dogs are trained to detect. I know that media is saying they are cadaver dogs but we have no official word that they are. It would just tell me a lot to know how these dogs are trained. Does anyone have any photos or videos of the dogs they are using ? I might be able to tell how they are trained by breed and how they are working them.

I had a photo, I will try to find it.

 

[kalekona]

I found this, maybe it will answer some questions
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1470499

I'm an Austrlain citizen wanting to marry a USA citizen in Australia. If we wish to live in USA do we need to marry in USA too?


No, you can get married in Australia. Then, your spouse would need to sponsor your visa application.
​

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_2993.html

 

[CateH]

I have a question that may already have been answered and I just missed it but what is the population ? Not that it has alot of bearing but im picturing a rather small town. Im also wondering if alot of what is being reported is just small town gossip ...This comming from a woman who is from a town of 500.

Hickory, I believe it is approximately 40,000.

 

[Kat]

When we look at the big picture with 20/20 hindsight. We can see many areas where Zahra was let down by various systems and possibly other people.

But IMHO the onus of the responsibility of the murder of Zahra (I do believe she was murdered) lies with the person(s) responsible for that murder.

What I mean is if Stepmom and Daddy (whether he is proven to be legally responsible for her murder remains to be seen, however, even if he is not---he is morally culpable if allegations of him just standing by with knowledge of Zahra's abuse is proven to be true) had been actually parenting Zahra, if they had actually loved Zahra as every single child born deserves to be loved, valued and honored. We wouldn't be sitting here reading about her.

I place full blame on the head and shoulders of whomever it was that was directly involved in her murder and the coverup. JMHO.

 

[cluciano63]

Drugs=money to dealers and they might not "waste" them on a child...this has been kicked around a lot concerning Haleigh as well...would they "waste" their drugs on Haleigh when they could use something much cheaper, for example...

 

[Salem]

I'm going to open a new thread. Be right back.

Salem