A prosthetic leg, believed to belong to missing 10 year old Zahra Baker, has been found in a brushy area off of a N.C. road according, to Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins.
The prosthetic that was found appears to be consistent with that of the missing girl who lost her leg to bone cancer at the age of five. It was discovered late Tuesday afternoon off of Christie Road in Caldwell County.
Police are using the leg’s serial number to positively identify it as the missing leg in the case. Zahra acquired her prosthesis in Australia where her and her father originate.
The discovery of the leg came right after finding a mattress that is believed to have belonged to Zahra and been thrown out only days before she was reported missing. DNA testing is being done on the mattress.
Meanwhile, authorities have refocused their search on the Hickory home where Zahra lived with her father, Adam Baker, and her stepmother, Elisa Baker. A backhoe and other equipment was brought to the site to dig into the ground around the home. The investigators are using rakes to sift through the dirt that has been dug up, and police dogs are scouring the grounds.
At least one bag of evidence has been removed from inside the home so far. Adkins said that new evidence has led them back to the house to resume the search.
Zahra was reported missing on October 9th, but no one has reported seeing the girl since September 25. On October 12th, the Amber alert was canceled and the investigation was turned into a homicide.
On October 10th, stepmother Elisa Baker was arrested on unrelated charges. She later confessed to writing a fake ransom note and was charged with felony obstruction of justice. She has remained in jail since. On Sunday she began cooperating with police and went with them to several sites on Monday including those near a home she used to occupy.
Father, Adam Baker, was arrested on Monday on unrelated charges. Police had put off arresting him due to his cooperation in the investigation. He spent a short time in jail before being released on bond.
Neighbors and family members have reported that Elisa abused Zahra, but her attorney has vehemently denied the allegations.
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