Case 347
Zahra Baker
*** Content warnings: Child abuse, crimes against children, sexual assault ***
When 10-year-old Zahra Baker was reported missing by her father and stepmum in Hickory, North Carolina, one Saturday afternoon in 2010, it sparked the largest missing persons investigation in the city’s history.
Police worked around the clock, hoping for a miracle, but people close to the family said they’d been expecting something like this to happen for a long time.
CREDITS
EPISODE
Research & writing – Emily Shirley
Narration – Anonymous Host
MUSIC
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro – www.dl-sounds.com
Audio production – Mike Migas
Scoring – Mike Migas
Audio editing – Anthony Telfer
OTHER
Logo and website design – Paulina Szymanska
PREMIUM
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RESOURCES
COURT DOCUMENTS
Probable Cause Affidavit – 29 Nov 2010
Probable Cause Affidavit – 9 Nov 2010
Inventory of Items Seized – 27-8 Oct 2010
Zahra Clare Baker – Autopsy Report
BOOKS
Stepmonster – Richard Gould and Sarah Newell Williamson
ONLINE ARTICLES
Elisa Baker Insists She Didn’t Do It – The Charlotte Observer
Report: No death penalty for slain 10-year-old’s stepmother – NBC News
Four North Carolina Cities Make Top 25 List for Opioid Abuse – NC Health News
Elisa Baker speaks from prison about murder of 10-year-old Zahra – WSOC TV
Zahra Baker Case: Frustration at Alleged Abuse Boils Over – ABC News
Read all of the Hickory Police media releases on the Zahra case – WBTV News
Grief, anger at vigils in 2 countries for NC girl – Nevada Appeal
Friends: Missing Zahra Baker was happy in Australia – The Seattle Times
Many new details of Zahra’s death revealed in Elisa Baker’s plea – WBTV News
Cops: Missing N.C. girl likely killed – NBC News
Zahra Baker’s stepmum may appeal US conviction – The Townsville Bulletin
MySpace page yanked down for stepmother in missing girl case – WBTV
Zahra Baker’s stepmother is finishing her murder sentence. What’s next – WSOC TV
Zahra Baker’s Birth Mother Speaks for the First Time – The Charlotte Observer
Caldwell search ends, no more remains found – WBTV
Skull found in 2012 confirmed to be Zahra Baker – WBTV
Hickory Funeral Home Holds Memorial For Zahra – WSOC TV
Zahra tortured by hand of evil – The Herald Sun
Search warrant reveals items seized from home of missing Hickory girl – WBTV
Investigators Frustrated As Pond Search Comes Up Empty – WSOC TV
Furniture store employees remember seeing Zahra Baker 14 days before disappearance – Live 5
The Hunt for Zahra Baker – CrimeLibrary.org
Zahra’s dad chuckles and floats kidnapping theory in 911 call – WBTV
Zahra Baker Case: Police Doubt $1M Ransom Note in Disabled Girl’s Disappearance – ABC News
Search for Zahra at Christie Road over for now; officials await bone test results – WBTV
Police: Time ‘running out’ in search for missing girl – CNN
Law inspired by Zahra Baker case takes effect – WSOC TV
Photo Folder: Zahra Baker – Getty Images
Zahra Baker Exclusive: Photo Shows Girl’s Black Eye, Friend Says – ABC News
Full text of Hickory Police briefing on Friday – WBTV
Statement from Adam Baker during Elisa Baker hearing – WCNC
Statement from Emily Dietrich during Elisa Baker hearing – WCNC
Elisa Baker gets up to 18 years in stepdaughter’s murder – WFMY
Adam Baker sentenced to 30 days in jail, plans appeal – The Charlotte Observer
Emily’s Pilgrimage – Yahoo7
Zahra Baker, a Murdered Child – mockforums.net
Zahra’s biological mom travels from Australia, visits memorial for first time – WBTV
Searchers to return to area where skull was found in Caldwell Co. – WSOC TV
Anger builds in case of N.C. girl’s death – NBC
Dismembered NC Girl’s Stepmom Led A Troubled Life – CBS
Crews searching for clues in Zahra case pull mattresses from landfill – WMBF
Zahra Baker Update: Missing Case Turns into Homicide Investigation – CBS
What Happened to Zahra Baker? – Sydney Morning Herald
ARCHIVED ARTICLES
MISSING ANGEL Stepmum in court over ransom note – The Townsville Bulletin, 15 Oct 2010
Heartfelt plea to find Zahra – The Townsville Bulletin, 19 Oct 2010
Disappearance shocks family – The Townsville Bulletin, 13 Oct 2010
Zahra Baker: Heart aches for brave little Zahra – The Townsville Bulletin, 16 July 2011
Qld town marks Zahra’s short life – AAP, 16 Nov 2010
Family’s heartache over fate of remains – Brisbane Courier-Mail, 29 March 2016
Soldiers go bush with brave kids – The Townsville Bulletin, 22 Sept 2008
NC stepmom Elisa Baker pleads guilty in disabled girl’s death – Spartanburg Herald, 15 Sept 2011
Family distress for final burial – The Townsville Bulletin, 19 Sept 2011
`Adam didn’t kill Zahra’ – The Townsville Bulletin, 16 July 2011
PRESS RELEASES
Elisa Baker Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Conspiracy To Distribute Prescription Drugs – US Attorney’s Office, Western District of NC
Elisa Baker Indicted On Federal Drug Trafficking Charges – US Drug Enforcement Administration
Summary of Services on Zahra Baker – Caldwell County DSS
Summary of Services on Zahra Baker – Catawba County DSS
VIDEOS
The Face Of Evil – 60 Minutes Australia
The Zahra Baker Mystery – 60 MInutes Australia
Chief: ‘We Believe We Have Found Zahra’ – WYFF News 4
Relatives Desperate to Find Zahra – CBS News
Where is Zahra Baker? – ABC News
Convicted Stepmom Says She Didn’t Kill Zahra Baker – WRAL
Police release 911 call in girl’s disappearance – WRAL
Zahra Baker’s father talks about charges against his wife – WRAL
Zahra Baker Memorial Road Needs Adopting – Spectrum News