OH OH - Erica Baker, 9, Kettering, 7 Feb 1999

[Sassygerl]

Mysteriew, there is a thread on this little girl in the missing but not forgotten.....

http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7679&highlight=erica+baker

 

[mysteriew]

Sorry, as there is new new news on her, I put her into crimes in the news. I will go there. Thanks for the link

 

[mysteriew]

http://www.whiotv.com/news/4207815/detail.html

Erica Baker's Family In Court As Suspect Arraigned

POSTED: 11:41 am EST February 17, 2005
UPDATED: 2:37 pm EST February 17, 2005

DAYTON, Ohio -- Erica Baker's family appeared in court Thursday to get a look at the man they suspect knows about the disappearance of their daughter six years ago.

Christian Gabriel, 33, was charged in the missing girl's case. There were some tense moments for the Baker family Thursday morning as they were able to look at the man who may lead authorities to Erica's remains.

Earlier this month, Gabriel was indicted and charged with tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse. However, authorities said, he is not charged with Erica's murder.

Gabriel was already serving time in jail for receiving stolen property on an unrelated incident when he was indicted in the Baker case.

Erica's family believes that Gabriel was in a van that struck Erica as she walked her dog near the Kettering Recreation Center six years ago. They also believe he knows where her body is buried.

The judge entered a not guilty plea of Gabriel's behalf. His bond was set at $250,000 and he is scheduled to make his next court appearance on March 1.

http://www.whiotv.com/news/4167066/detail.html

Timeline Of Events In Erica Baker's Disappearance

POSTED: 4:35 pm EST February 4, 2005

DAYTON, Ohio -- It has been six years since Erica Baker disappeared. She vanished on Feb. 7, 1999, while walking her dog.

The next day, on Feb. 8, police drained a pond near the location where she was last seen. Also, dozens of volunteers searched for her.

Two weeks later the Erica Baker Recovery Center opened in Kettering and then later moved to the Van Buren Shopping Center.

In May of 1999, Erica's picture was featured in People magazine and actress Sarah Jessica Parker appeared in a public service announcement to help find Erica.

In 2002, prosecutors requested that attorney Beth Lewis testify before a grand jury about what a deceased client, Jan Franks, may have known about Baker's disappearance. However, Lewis refused to testify, citing attorney-client privilege.

In 2004, Frank's husband signed a waiver allowing Lewis to talk, but once again she refused. The case then went to the Ohio Supreme Court, where the court ordered Lewis to talk. She appealed that order.

In December 2004, A Montgomery County judge ordered Christian Gabriel to be brought to Kettering from the Southern Correctional Institute. He was serving a nine-month sentence for a felony in Clark County. Once in Kettering, he testified as a witness on behalf of the state of Ohio.
__________________

 

[Karyn]

Did they ever get any info out of this women, lets hope her kids never get taken then she will know what it like !! Is this any development in this case??

 

[mindi77]

POSTED: 12:11 pm EDT April 22, 2005
DAYTON, Ohio -- Erica Baker's family received what could be encouraging news on Friday morning.A federal judge disagrees with attorney Beth Lewis and said that state prosecutors can move forward in their efforts to make Lewis tell what she may knows about Baker's disappearance.

Federal Judge Walter Rice issued a 27-page opinion Friday morning.
It was more than six years ago that Baker, 9, disappeared while walking her dog at the Kettering Recreation Center. Investigators said a recent arrest indicates that Baker is no longer alive, but the family wants her body found.Baker's parents, Greg and Misty, along with prosecutors believe the former federal public defender may have some more details or possibly an answer on where Baker is. It was Lewis' client, Jan Franks, who is now deceased, who prosecutors believe told Lewis what happened to Baker.However, Lewis has refused to talk, citing attorney-client privilege, despite the fact that Frank's spouse gave consent and an Ohio Supreme Court ruling.Now, Rice disagrees with Lewis and the Baker family hopes she will finally break her silence.Also, in Rice's opinion, he said he will hold an evidentiary hearing to validate the consent give by Franks' husband, Shane. The court wants to make sure his consent was given freely.

 

[mindi77]

POSTED: 6:13 am EDT May 2, 2005
DAYTON, Ohio -- On Monday, Judge Walter Rice will make the next move in the case involving the disappearance of Erica Baker.Shane Franks is set to appear before Rice. Rice now must rule on whether Franks voluntarily signed a second waiver regarding his late wife’s attorney-client privileges.At one point, Franks revoked the first waiver, but later signed a second waiver. Prosecutors want the wife’s lawyer, Beth Lewis, to tell what she may know about the disappearance of Baker.
Prosecutor’s believe Lewis may know something about Baker’s disappearance.


This is really close to home, I live here and am extremely upset that this lawyer has kept her mouth shut. I agree if this was a child she would want to know.

 

[lisag]

I hope she talks soon !! This family deserves to know, and Erica deserves to have a proper burial !

 

[mysteriew]

Lawyers are fighting to keep some statements made by a suspect, involving the death of a little girl, out of court. A judge will decide whether to toss out Christian Gabriel's comments about the disappearance of Erica Baker.

http://wkrc.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=472BC9E7-A73D-40C0-A9BA-B59D1169F330

 

[mysteriew]

A police detective says a man accused of disposing of the body of a missing girl told investigators the nine-year-old was struck by a vehicle and her body buried.

Kettering Detective Robert Green says Christian Gabriel gave police two different locations where he claimed the body of Erica Baker had been buried but she has not been found.

http://www.wcpo.com/news/2005/local/06/16/baker.html

 

[emma l]

Sometimes I cannot imagine what goes through peoples heads. To state the absolute obvious- why on earth, after knocking down a child, wouldn't you call and ambulance and try and help her? What were they thinking? To put this famliy through so much hell when- yes they would have suffered terribly if Erica had been knocked down and killed- but the would've been able to have a decent burial and grieve for her. This is just unforgivable.

 

[mysteriew]

Sometimes I cannot imagine what goes through peoples heads. To state the absolute obvious- why on earth, after knocking down a child, wouldn't you call and ambulance and try and help her? What were they thinking? To put this famliy through so much hell when- yes they would have suffered terribly if Erica had been knocked down and killed- but the would've been able to have a decent burial and grieve for her. This is just unforgivable.

It is called selfishness emma. From what I have heard, they were high when they hit the girl, they were afraid of getting in trouble. What I want to know is- was she alive after being hit? If she was alive (and I heard she was) then I think they should be going up on some kind of murder charge.

 

[mysteriew]

During a seven-month period, Christian John Gabriel gave three widely varying written statements about his role in the death of 9-year-old Erica Baker, who disappeared from a Kettering park on Feb. 7, 1999.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0621erica.html

 

[lisag]

These people involved are unbelievable - and that goes for that stupid attorney also !!
Erica's family deserves to know what really happened to her and where she is.
I pray they do not have to wait much longer !!

 

[emma l]

It is called selfishness emma. From what I have heard, they were high when they hit the girl, they were afraid of getting in trouble. What I want to know is- was she alive after being hit? If she was alive (and I heard she was) then I think they should be going up on some kind of murder charge.

I doubt if we'll ever know if Erica was alive mysteriew. They surely won't tell us and I doubt they'd be able to tell anything if they found Erica now as its been so long. You are right -it is pure and utter selfishness. I hope they never sleep another wink- I surely wouldn't.

 

[mysteriew]

Former federal assistant public defender Beth Lewis won a 30-day stay Tuesday, time to ask a federal appeals court to bar a county grand jury seeking Lewis to testify what a former client may have told her about the disappearance of 9-year-old Erica Baker.

U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice ruled April 22 that Lewis had no federal defenses to prevent Montgomery County prosecutors from taking her before a grand jury.

"We are pleased that the court has granted its stay, and we will be proceeding in the 6th Circuit (Court of Appeals)," said S. Adele Shank, one of Lewis' attorneys.

Rice's ruling requires Lewis to file an appeal within 10 days and to win a longer stay from the federal appeals court before his 30-day stay expires.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0622erica.html

 

[jodierenee]

I just don't get this lady!!! I can def. understand the confidentiality thing, but really..the lady is dead, and the husband gave permission! These poor parents have been waiting to bury their daughter for years now and this lady knows potentially where she is and is refusing to talk! I dont know how she sleeps at night! It's not like the lady she is representing killed the girl....what is the big deal?!!!!!

 

[mysteriew]

I just don't get this lady!!! I can def. understand the confidentiality thing, but really..the lady is dead, and the husband gave permission! These poor parents have been waiting to bury their daughter for years now and this lady knows potentially where she is and is refusing to talk! I dont know how she sleeps at night! It's not like the lady she is representing killed the girl....what is the big deal?!!!!!

"Rumor" has it that her life and the lives of her kids were threatened if she told.
I don't see why she doesn't just make an arrangement with the family that she will tell them where Erica is, but only if they do not tell where the tip came from. Then they could let on like a person just kind of came upon the remains. That way she wouldn't have to acknowlege that she gave the info and maybe she can get out of going to court.

 

[mindi77]

I agree, she could tell them and saw a little birdie told them. I live really close to where this happened and I am appalled that she won't tell Erica's parents what she knows. I mean if she has kids wouldn't she want to know? I remember getting on an elevator not long after Erica went missing and her mom got on, she looked so sad that I honestly didn't know what to say to her. So I said nothing I couldn't imagine the pain she was feeling and I didn't want to bother her. I really wich these people would at least give this little girl the respect of letting her family find her and put her to rest. It has been way to long for heavens sake she was 9 and she would be 16 now, give them all peace. I do have to say that if that was my child I think I would be kicking that lawyers butt for info. Hopefully one day she will GROW a conscience.

 

[mindi77]

Vigil celebrates Erica Baker's 16th birthday

By Cathy Mong

Dayton Daily News

Erica Baker, who disappeared while walking her dog 61?2 years ago in a Kettering park, would have celebrated her "Sweet 16" birthday Wednesday.

Instead of a celebration, the milestone was marked by friends and family who gathered downtown and believe someone knows what happened to the girl on Feb. 7, 1999.

People who pray someone will speak out, end the anguish and enable her remains to be put to rest. People who hope, too, that those responsible for Erica's death and cover-up will be identified and prosecuted.

Until that day, the girl's father, Greg Baker, said he will not allow the community to forget who and what his family has lost.

Imprinted in the community's collective memory is a class photo frozen in a better time, its blonde-haired subject's eyes framed with shaggy bangs, her hair pushed behind her ears; an impish grin on her face. Erica as she was, her future unrealized.

"Happy birthday, Baby," Baker told about three dozen supporters as he released 16 pink balloons into the summer breeze.

"I would prefer to be anywhere else but here," he said. "But this is where I need to be right now, in the middle of two buildings — the (Montgomery) County Courts Building and the Federal Court Building."

The buildings represent two people — Christian John Gabriel, charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence and who is housed in the county jail; and former federal public defender Beth Lewis, who for three years has not revealed what Jan Franks might have told her about the case while Lewis was representing Franks on unrelated federal drug charges. Franks, believed to have been in the van that struck Erica, died Dec. 30, 2001.

"I'm very, very angry that there are two people who know where she is," Baker said.

Baker said he imagined Erica turning 16 and driving, "with me sitting in the passenger side of the car, gritting my teeth, hoping she wasn't going to hit something. I imagine her giggling as she turns doughnuts in some parking lot."

He said it isn't only Erica's family suffering from her disappearance.

"We're hurting, the community is hurting ... She's not just our daughter. Erica has become everyone's child. They've taken her into their hearts and homes."

 

[babydust2004]

http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0620ericaweb.html