Disturbing details emerge

Hickory police aren’t speculating about the disappearance of Zahra Clare Baker, but more attention is focused on her stepmother.

Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins made an impassioned plea for the public to assist investigators with any information about the girl before and after her disappearance.

“We need help,” Adkins said. “We can’t put her at that house at any time. We don’t know the last time anyone saw her.”

Baker was reported missing from her west Hickory home Saturday. The 10-year-old is hearing impaired.

Her hearing aids are still at her home. She also has a prosthetic leg, the result of a bout with cancer.

The FBI, SBI and U.S. Marshals Service joined Hickory police in the case on Sunday.

At a Monday afternoon news briefing, Adkins confirmed a ransom note was found at the residence, but “We question the validity of the note.”

He said no one has contacted authorities pursuing the demands in the note.

The note said:  “Mr. Coffey, you like being in control now who is in control we have your daughter and your pot smoking red head son is next unless you do what is asked 1,000,000 unmarked will be in touch soon.” It also had “no cops” written on it.

Lack of details on Zahra Baker’s whereabouts and her activities before her disappearance is one reason why police are not concentrating on a specific area or using search teams to try to find her.

“This thing is going all over the place,” he said. “That’s why we’re asking for help from anybody who saw her — teachers, friends, anyone.”

Her father, Adam Baker, said Monday morning that it is possible his wife, Elisa Baker, is involved in Zahra’s disappearance.

Interviewed on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Adam Baker said he hasn’t seen his wife many times since police were called Saturday.

“I just hope I can get my daughter back. I miss her so much,” he said.

Baker said his wife told him that she last saw Zahra sleeping in her bed about 2:30 a.m. Saturday. A fire in the backyard was reported at around 5 a.m. Baker said he panicked after the fire, but did not check on his daughter.

Zahra was reported missing several hours after the fire.

When questioned if he thinks his wife might be involved, Baker said, “I wouldn’t like to think so. On what I’ve heard so far, it could be possible.”

The stepmother was still in jail Monday. She was arrested Sunday on several charges, including:

• Six counts of worthless checks in Catawba County
• Six counts of worthless checks in Caldwell County
• Failure to return rental property in Caldwell County
• Larceny by employee in Burke County
• Failure to appear on three counts of communicating threats in Caldwell County
• Failure to appear on charges of driving without a license and unsafe tires in Caldwell County

She is being held at the Catawba County Jail under a $31,500 bond.

There is an outstanding warrant on Adam Baker. Adkins said Monday afternoon that Baker has been cooperating with investigators, and “the process will be served at the appropriate time.”

He said police concluded the stepmother is not cooperating because of “inconsistencies in her statements.”

The chief would not respond to reports of alleged abuse of Zahra Baker.

Monday morning, Adkins told the news media there are a lot of questions about the case. Police investigators are looking at leads, he said, about “what her life was like before her disappearance.”

He said teachers in Caldwell County are being interviewed. Zahra is home-schooled, but she did attend Caldwell public schools for two years.

Adkins the said the family has moved around since coming to the area, and former neighbors are being contacted by police.

“We’re trying to establish a timeline” of events before and after she was reported missing.

Adkins said it is “very unlikely” she is a runaway. He referred to her hearing aids that are still at her home.

The chief would not speculate on motive or possible suspects. “We are looking for answers,” Adkins said. “Anything is a possibility.”

Adkins was the only law enforcement official to address the two Monday news briefings.

The Associated Press reported that a former neighbor, Kayla Rotenberry, said she and her fiance were good friends with the Bakers when they lived in Sawmills and saw Zahra often.

The couple was skeptical of the girl’s stepmother, in part because she claimed to write songs for musician and “American Idol” finalist Chris Daughtry, and told other far-fetched stories, Rotenberry said.

“We just got to the point where we didn’t believe her. We knew they were lies, but she never gave me a reason not to trust her,” said Rotenberry, 23.

The stepmother had a short temper, Rotenberry said.

“I just don’t have a good feeling about this,” she said.

Police have intereviewed residents in the Baker family’s current neighborhood, and K-9 units assisted in a search over the weekend.

Neighbor Eddie Mitchell said the Bakers had lived in Hickory for a couple of months.
“I hope the kid is all right. It’s just very strange,” he said.

Adam Baker is from Australia. He met Elisa Baker on the Internet, said another former neighbor, Brandy Stapleton of Lenoir.

Zahra Baker’s mother still resides in Australia.

HAVE YOU SEEN HER?

Zahra Clare Baker is about 5-feet, 1-inch tall and weighs about 85 pounds. She is deaf and has a prosthetic left leg.

She received her hearing aids at a giveaway event last May at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Anyone with information about her whereabouts can call the Hickory Police Department at 328-5551.

The Associated Press  contributed to this report.