Missing Hickory girl case sees new evidence

The ongoing investigation into a 10-year-old girl’s disappearance from Hickory has left its mark on Chapel Hill.

A bone that might belong to Zahra Baker, who has been missing since Oct. 9, was sent to the N.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Chapel Hill last week in an effort to gather initial information.

The bone is the first piece of evidence discovered which could be part of Zahra’s physical remains. It has since been sent to the State Bureau of Investigation for further testing, said Chief Medical Examiner Deborah Radisch.

“We just put our eyes on it, did measurements, took photographs and then let them submit it for whatever they wanted to do,” she said.

She did not comment on the specific testing the state bureau would conduct.

“All we do is collect evidence from cases, and then we submit that to the investigating law enforcement agency, and they actually send it to the laboratory to be processed,” Radisch said.

The bone was found Nov. 3 during a search in Caldwell County, near the location where police found Zahra’s prosthetic leg in October.

The Hickory Police Department released a statement Thursday reporting search teams in Caldwell County had uncovered evidence the day prior which could assist investigators in Zahra’s case.

Officers will not release information on what the evidence is for fear of jeopardizing the investigation.

Police have also discovered a mattress in a Caldwell County landfill that matches the description of Zahra’s and could be linked to the case.

Police say Zahra’s father, Adam, and stepmother, Elisa, had disposed of it days before her disappearance.

“The mattress has also been sent for testing. We’re just awaiting results,” said Hickory’s Deputy Chief of Police Clyde Deal.

Zahra, who lost her leg to cancer and was hearing-impaired, was reported missing by her father and stepmother, though police say no one outside of her immediate family saw her after Sept. 25.

Police indicted Elisa Baker on a felony obstruction of justice charge Oct. 11 after she admitted to faking a $1 million ransom note stating Zahra had been kidnapped.

Radisch said the medical examiner’s office played a small role in evidence testing because its main function is conducting autopsies.

Of the estimated 4,500 autopsies done annually in the state, the Chapel Hill office handles about 1,500 — or almost six autopsies performed per business day.

Radisch said the office has been even busier recently because it is currently understaffed.

“We had some personnel changes with people retiring,” Radisch said.

“It’s difficult to find a well-qualified forensic pathologist to move and come work here, but we’re working on it.”

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