Zahra Baker - Murder Investigation

up for anything

This poor child had a life full of challenges and now this. She seemed like such a smiley, good natured kid.

Zahra case now a homicide: US Police

The disappearance of disabled Australian girl Zahra Baker in the US state of North Carolina is now being treated as a homicide.

No-one has been charged with Zahra's murder, but her stepmother Elisa Baker has been charged with felony obstruction of justice after they say she admitted writing a ransom note demanding $US1 million ($A1.02 million) for the little girl's safe return.

Zahra, who is hearing impaired and has lost a leg to bone cancer, was reported missing on Saturday from her home in Hickory, North Carolina.

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An Amber alert was issued, but on Tuesday afternoon (US time), police cancelled that and declared the case a homicide investigation.

Police say no-one outside her immediate family has reported seeing her in weeks, and they have no idea how long she has really been missing.

"The Amber alert for Zahra Baker was cancelled today and the decision to focus this investigation from the missing child, or abducted child, will turn into a homicide investigation," an emotional Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins told reporters.

"We understand the public wants to help find Zahra and want to form search teams to help locate her," an emotional Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins told reporters.

"The problem is we cannot confirm with any confidence how long Zahra has been missing. Without this information we cannot positively select the area to search for her."

Zahra's father has broken down on American television, saying he hopes his wife isn't involved in her disappearance.

But Adam Baker, who only recently moved to the US after meeting his wife on the internet, has told the Good Morning America program that from the evidence it's possible that Elisa has something to do with it.

"I wouldn't like to think so. On what I've heard so far, it could be possible," he said, but didn't elaborate.

Zahra and her father were living in Australia when Adam Baker met his wife-to-be online about two years ago, and eventually moved to the United States, friends said.

Captain Thurman Whisnant of Hickory Police said earlier that Zahra's biological mother was an Australian and had not seen her daughter since she was about eight months old.

HLN's Nancy Grace going to town on the story.

One can only hope that they find out exactly who was responsible, although it seems obvious and luckily enough North Carolina has the death penalty.

starbelgrade

up for anything wrote: »

One can only hope that they find out exactly who was responsible, although it seems obvious and luckily enough North Carolina has the death penalty.

Why? Because one death is not enough?

up for anything

starbelgrade wrote: »

Why? Because one death is not enough?

Yes.