This is one of the most heartbreaking cases to me. Sweet little Zahra, fighting cancer, loosing a leg, suffering hearing loss, and abused by her stepmother, neglected by her father, then dying and being dismembered. Life in prison would be too short for stepmom. And dad got away scott free. Disgusting.
Nobody gets away with even evil thoughts in this world, but will give an account to a Holy God! "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Zahra is in the hands of a loving God, and will never suffer again!❤️
Poor Zahra, she survived cancer twice, to have her life taken away by a heartless woman. That sad that her father didn’t protect her. Great video Dr Grande!!
This is a rather stripped down version of her story too. I’ve seen other videos with more detail and there was way more opportunities for him to have stepped up to defend Zahra and still he let it go on. I understand that her grandparents were her major caregivers in Australia.
@@heathernikki5734 True!! Why would he go to all the trouble to bring her to the States when he obviously was Far Below and Beyond being just an "absent dad". Was she so wicked as to play the part of Loving Step Mom in the beginning as an enticement?
Even IF the father had nothing to do with it. He still knew about the horrific ab*se his young daughter was going through. He still knew she was being locked in the attic and not being fed and not being homeschooled. He claims he left all the child care up to Elisa so he had no idea but wouldn't he still see his daughter when he came home from work tho? He claimed he didn't go up to the Attic so he didn't know how bad she was being ab*sed. Which is dumb. So am I supposed to take that to mean he didn't bother to go visit his daughter locked in the attic for months and months? That he didn't think it was weird his daughter was locked in an attic for months? That he didn't think it was weird he never saw his daughter? He is a monster and he deserves to be charged alongside elisa. Whether or not he helped Elisa k*ll Zara he allowed his child to be ab*sed like that. He could have just sent Zara back to live with her grandparents. Or he could have left her with the grandparents to begin with if he really didn't want to take care of her. Her grandparents would have loved to have had her stay with them they adored her and they were heartbroken when he moved to America and took her with him. It just burns me up in cases of child ab*se when the partner who is unrelated to the child is always the one convicted while the parent always gets away Scott free. Okay the parent at the very least cosigned the ab*se and didn't stand up for their own child. They deserve to be charged with the exact same crime as their partner for allowing it to happen and for forcing their child to live in an environment where they are being ab*sed. Pisses me off that the parents who are equally at fault walk away totally free the vast majority of the time.
Agreed!! I feel the same about many other cases of abuse, neglect, and murder. The other adult HAD to know something wasn't right, and could have stepped in at any time to stop the madness, but it didn't happen. Just because the other adult didn't actually cause the tragedy, it doesn't make them innocent or not accountable. Nope!!
I absolutely agree with you, but I believe he was part of his daughters murder. He didn’t report his young daughter missing for 2 weeks! Any descent parent would be calling the police within one hour of their child missing. Also, I’m not convinced that she was able to dismember her body and bury her in multiple areas alone! No way, the guy is guilty too, and got off scott free!
@@joettekanter3489 agreed . Both sociopathic , low empathy . I would of adopted her . I live in a nice 4 bed home . I was fostered my whole life . I know what it’s like to not be wanted . It’s just me and my daughter and I’ve worked my whole life to provide her a home and love . I wish I could of saved this poor girl. My mum left me in nz to start a new life when I was 12 .. not everyone loves their children . :(.
@@tulinbeyduz920 I wish you could have adopted her, you sound like a very caring compassionate person....your mother failed you, for that I feel sorry for you but you seem to have made a good life for yourself and your daughter, I wish you both well. xx
Many people think that the father should have been investigated more fully in his part. One odd comment that he had made was that he hadn't seen Zahra for several days before he considered her missing.. Evidently her absence during that time didn't cause any concern on his part. How many parents who live their children don't see them on a regular daily basis? In Zahra's case it would have been even more important in terms of her disability, her adjustment to a new country, and most importantly the fairly new family situation for her father to have been involved with her a daily basis.
The oddest part is not that Adam Baker admitted that he hadn't seen Zahra for weeks. That could be explained away a little by Adam claiming that he was away at work a lot, and simply assumed that Zahra was already in bed by the time he got home at night, and that Elisa assured him she was fine. Sure, he sounds a bit indifferent and complacent, content to assume that Elisa is looking after Zahra. When I was a kid, I used to not see my father in person (although we'd know he was home) for days sometimes, when he did shift work and he'd be sleeping in the day, and leave at night. We'd keep out of his way (we were scared of his foul moods) and on school days we'd be out until afternoon. Odder than that is the fact that when the police were called to the Baker home over a backyard fire, that Adam made no mention of Zahra being gone. He later said he didn't know that at that time. But it was later that day that Adam called the police to report Zahra missing. This was many hours apparently, after the fake ransom note was found. I forgot. Adam Baker also lied about Zahra being with Elisa and him on some Oktoberfest trip or something. A witnesa said they saw them and didn't see Zahra in the car with them.
@@catherineelainebaxter4609 I don't remember the interview that you are referring to, but the local sentiment of the area was that her father was involved in some way, directly or indirectly in Zahra's death. . He r father was definitely a person of interest and police cleared him grudgingly. They had no hard evidence to link him to the murder, but they and the community felt that he .must have a hand at least n disposing Xahara's body. The lifting and moving a dead weight would have taken a lot of strength.If he had done so, it would have made him an accessory. But again there was no hard evidence, only his extreme behavior of not to have seen her and to have considered as it as normal. Even if he wasn't at home during the murder, wouldn't he have missed her after being away for two weeks? Wouldn't he have wanted to see her when came home?? There were some unusual consequencesthat came from Zahara's murder. A retired attorney was Infuriated by the way the case was handled by the police and the DA. He felt like police bungled the case concerning the father's involvement. He also was angry that the local district attorney didn't demand the death penalty for the step mother. As a result, the lawyer left retirement and ran for district attorney on a tough on crime platform. He won the race and became the next DA. Also I understand from some sources that law enforcement escorted Zahara's father to the airport and waited with him for him to catch a flight to take him back to Australia. They had a long wait because Zahra's father didn't have the money to return to Australia. He originally wanted the US to extradite him.. However, the US declined to do so. He was forced to wait at the airport lobby until his family raised the money for him to return.
@@SY-ok2dq There were several times in my childhood when my father was away for months or work. During that time, he was always communicating even without today's technology with letters, pictures, phone calls, and gifts. When he cane home, it was always a big deal where he immediately wanted to see my mother and me. Considering Zahra's special circumstances, it's hard to imagine a caring parent returning home and not immediately seeing his daughter. Many parents would have peeked in the bedroom just to see his )her sleeping child was safe. Evidently Adam didn't do that and had no problem with Zahra not being present when he returned . Very odd.
@@lazylady8591 Well the fact that Zahra had cancer, and was disabled as a result, you'd think that her parent would check in on her more often, and see that she was doing well with his own eyes. But Adam Baker didn't do that because he wasn't terribly concerned, in my opinion. He comes across as a bit dumb, ignorant, and to have a lack of future planning skills - he uprooted himself and Zahra from Australia where medical care is free of charge, and there are high quality facilities for cancer patients, to go all the way to some rural part of the U.S., where neither he nor Zahra were citizens and in any case, medical care is costly and could be hard to access cancer therapy in rural areas. Not to mention when he got there, both Adam and Elisa found themselves without jobs or income for a while. Great idea! They managed by living with Elisa's father until he got fed up with their behavior and lack of observance of rules. Anyway my point is thar just the fact that a father doesn't check in on his children for days or weeks (in normal cases where the children are healthy and not disabled cancer survivors) doesn't immediately equal father that's very negligent, let alone a murderer or accomplice to concealment of murder. But in this case, that PLUS all the other things, like Adam not noticing, or knowing but pretending not to know, about the many people who reported concern about Zahra being abused, and the way that Adam lied about Zahra being with Adam and Elisa on a recent Oktoberfest trip - all that put together is incriminating. In Australia, Adam lived with his mother, and she seems to have been Zahra's real caretaker and she seems to have really loved Zahra and cared about her welfare. Adam was merely the parent with legal custody. I believe that he never had to really be responsible since his mother did all that. And without his mother doing all the work and caring, Adam just left it up to Elisa, and turned a blind eye to the abuse. I'm sure he never intended for Zahra to die. And probably Elisa didn't either. But he didn't stand up to Elisa and stop the abuse. And Elisa saw that he was willing to pretend to not see. He seems to have no sense of personal responsibility for Zahra.
Even though her earthly parents did not provide the love, care, and protection Zahra was deserving of; she is slumbering in her Heavenly Father's presence now.
@@cherylhaskell9830 I heard her bio mother was trying to get custody of her but her father hid her away and then moved to America where she couldn't be found so easily. Zahra's mother didn't realize where her daughter was (I think) until after she died.
@@TiffWaffles oh the poor bio mom 💔 I honestly think she thought she was doing what was best by giving the dad custody, and know knowing she wanted her back breaks my heart
@@cherylhaskell9830 God's a bit tardy to the party, no? Why do you think he waited until after she was horrifically abused and slaughtered? Why didn't god show mercy to Zahra _before_ she was quite literally butchered?
@@SonOfEric52 Rubbish. there is no god, only nature. What you are saying is what you wish were true, but I truly feel sad for little Zara, she did have a bad life and suffered whilst living it. That's not 'loving' nor 'fair', it's sadistic and nasty...if there was a being that inflicts such things on innocent humans.
Precious little girl, she had to go through so much in her short life. RIP. Step mom is a monster. All I can say is to be very careful who you marry, especially if you have children.
She’s in prison for life and I seen on video that she’s in protective custody because she’s the most hated monster there. I’m glad she’s behind bars and has no friends.
@@Catsss1017 There was a woman in my state who k*lled her stepdaughter. She was arrested and while she was in jail awaiting trial she was kept away from the other inmates. One day she had a Court date and was put in a holding cell. 2 other women were also put in the cell. The 2 women realized who she was and, well, let's just say they delivered jail house justice. The guards got in there as quickly as they could and it was claimed that it was a clerical error that this woman was put in a cell with others. But I can't help wonder if it truly was a mistake or a "mistake". The 2 women got in trouble but they didn't care.
@@user-lk2qf4rt3m I have a stepdaughter who I love as much as my two biological children. I have loved and supported her since she was 4 yrs old. She is now 29. I could never do anything to harm her in any way. We get along so well people think we are mother and daughter. I actually hate calling hery "step" but I don't want to take anything away from her mother. Not all stepparents are bad. I'm sorry you had a bad childhood but most stepparents are not like this.
Thank you for the lack of jokes in this one. This is a case that has stuck with me as a mother and always will. I find it hard to believe that Adam had no idea what was going on. If my kids have bruises, I want answers. Even if those answers are that they're a result of kids being kids, I want to know.
Yes ..that's true .. but kids who have gone through cancer treatments bruise and often have other life long health issues I think the step monster told him she was clumsy because of her leg .. Though I do agree .. how did he not know 60 minutes Australia has a great story on Sarah's case 🇦🇺
Never underestimate the effects of abuse and fear as a method of control. Inability to take action, even entering a physically paralyzed state, is a not uncommon trauma respons - including trauma from mental abuse. (Note: I'm not taking sides for or against the husbands involvement, responsibility or knowledge of the abuse against his daughter, as I'm in no way familiar to the case beyond this video by Dr. Grande. I merely seek to increase general understanding of abuse and abuse related trauma.)
It is a shame that of all the youtubers that cover this kind of content, you are one that gets demonetized. You clearly and concisely provide information and fair analysis, and you always preserve the dignity of individuals you talk about. For that reason, for the first time ever, I'm going to support someone on Patreon. You truly deserve the support! Thank you again, Dr. Grande!
Really? I don't even know what his politics are, why would he get de-monied?? My guess is that people from all over the political spectrum enjoy this channel.
@@FlatWorld_Jomhuri_Regime it's not politics. He explains in another video elsewhere that the content matter gets him demonetized. Ostensibly because the content can be quite grim in the details, particularly with serial killers or other crime analysis videos.
@@FlatWorld_Jomhuri_Regime certain words and topics get demonize by UA-cam. I see and hear a fraction of what I use to see. I am Googleing this before I watch Dr Grande. Dr Grande is very good at keeping the topic clean and clear for UA-cam or for anyone. We the viewers need to be skilled at reading between the lines and not blame the content creator for missing details.
The custodial parent above all else should put their child’s welfare as a priority and I don’t think this was done. At the very least Dad should have done a background check on this woman before moving to America it was his duty to protect Zara.
Zara’s father pisses me off how he tries to act all saddened and innocent when you allowed this monster in your life and to be a step mother to your daughter who had suffered enough with illness which left her disabled. He knew Zara was being abused but turned a blind eye to it. He is also responsible for her death he brought this killer into his daughters life and didn’t protect her.
It’s such a sad story about Zahra, & such a brutal & unnecessary one about Elisa Baker. Thank you for covering this story Dr Grande. I hope Elisa Baker never gets out (I can’t believe she got 14 yrs for killing Zahra [not long enough. Imagine someone like that out in society] & 10 yrs for dealing prescription drugs[!]. The proportions seems out of whack). This is one of the saddest cases, & it seems incomprehensible.
I am from NC and I have mentioned this case before in relation to the Daybell case and at least one other. Something needs to be done about homeschooling. I am not suggesting an outright ban, but there needs to be oversight. Homeschooling can be great when it is done correctly. Most of the people I know who are doing it barely graduated high school themselves, They speak in double negatives and would be perfectly at hom on the Jerry Springer show. There is no education in many of these settings. Worse still is a case like this and many, many others You take the kid out of school, isolate them and there is no one to see them wasting away from malnutrition and no one to report the bruises and burns, no one to report the excessive exploitation of child labor (I personally know someone who was pulled out of school at 12 and was basically treated as an indentured servant by his parents). In Zahra's and in the case of the Daybell children no one even knew they were missing for weeks.
This story made me really sad. My boyfriend and I just got engaged and we're thinking about having kids someday. Some financial issues are causing us stress, but I know he would be a wonderful Dad and that somehow we can make it work. This poor girl had so much going on in her life only to come across this witch who had no love in her heart for anyone but herself. Thanks for the video Dr. Grande ❤️ *sigh* I hope wherever Zahra is, she's not in pain anymore.
The first time I heard this story, I wanted to meet Elisa Baker...see how she does with a disabled adult her own size...one who knows a cane can double as a weapon...
As a child of two narcissists, I can say that they will do all the mental gymnastics they need to do in order to justify their transgressions as human beings. They're good at convincing people, because they themselves are convinced.
Same boat my friend..it makes it quite difficult but coming to terms with it helps ! At least we can face it head on and try to deal with it in a healthy way !
I recommend watching the 60 Minutes Australia episode on this case, if anyone is looking for additional information. Terrible case; Zahra was failed by everyone who should have protected her 💔
I just love you because you have such a calming voice while telling stories of horrific acts and craziness. Bless you. Your wife and fam are lucky to have you in their lives
She'd been seen at school with two black eyes. A teacher gave the child her personal phone number and told her to call her if she needed help. Elisa and Adam Baker went to the school and complained about this as an impropriety on the teacher's part. Soon after, they withdrew Zahra from school and Elisa said she was home schooling her.
What a very sad story. I don't understand how it was okay for the child to be taken out of school when there were accusations of abuse going on. That would enable the abuser to hurt the child with no one to notice.
This is a separate issue, but if you have a medically fragile family member, you shouldn’t move to the United States unless you have an S-ton of money. We have the most expensive, least efficient medical care “system” in the developed world. (I am a hospital doctor.)
Exactly… with her medical history… the fact that her dad moved to the US with your health system should have raised red flags for all concerned. Clearly didn’t put his daughter’s interests first.
I always wondered how they thought that was going to work too. I’ve lived in the US and am Australian and I don’t know why they didn’t choose to live in the country with the free healthcare? I don’t think Zahra would have been eligible for medicaid in the US (not for a few years at least) so Elisa would have needed top health insurance and even then there would have been significant out of pocket costs. I’ve seen her father interviewed several times though and he is not an educated man and was probably pretty ignorant about the struggles he would face, I assume Elisa said she would insure them and in Australia private health cover means you always get the best treatment with little out of pocket cost. Here health insurance basically = never having to worry and I doubt he realised people with health insurance still face significant barriers to receiving healthcare in the US, high costs and red tape. He also probably figured if Zahra got really sick they’d fly home to Australia for treatment.
@@girlygal098 Better not knowing all the details. The little girl always looked happy and sweet in her pictures. If there is a heaven I hope she enjoys all the things in life she was denied. And people who abuse children should be glad I don't share a cell with them.
🎗🎗🎗🎗🎗🎗 Thank You for doing Zarah's story. This story hits so close to home (having grown up in Wagga Wagga and losing my son to cancer ) Zarah deserves to be remembered not only for what that "woman"did to her ..but for the sweet natured strong little girl she was . September was CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS month as well has white ribbon for child abuse . Fly high Zarah.. happy and safe in heaven where no monsters can ever hurt you again . 🎗🎗🎗🎗🎗🎗🎗🏳
Dr. Grande, have you considered reviewing the Netflix series about an Indian family who committed suicide? It’s called “House of Secrets”. Would love to hear your take.
I’m no medical professional, but I think that Zahra didn’t have lung cancer - she had sarcoma (bone cancer) that had metastasized to her lung (a usual place for sarcoma mets). And Alisa was given only 14-18 years in prison?!! Ridiculously low sentence for what she did.
I think 14-18 is low too. However, I think 10 is high for the other crimes, just compared to what others serve for similar crimes. The sentences are consecutive, she has to serve them both. I feel like the judge padded the second sentence to make up for the first one, and I am happy he/she did.
10 years for selling prescription drugs and 14 for torturing a disabled child for months ...murdering her, and chopping up her poor body. There is NO justice.
I was the same age as Zahra and lived in the community where this happened, Zahra and I would have been in the same middle school, and our school bus passed her trailer and where parts of her body was found. Her story was what made me realize for the first time that adults could be evil. I thought and hoped she had ran away and was just missing until body parts were found.
In the name of God !!!..that woman is a monster, how could she murder a child who already had been through so much ?....and then chop her up. This story is the stuff of nightmares, it's hard to wrap your head around it.
What a heavy case, Dr. G 🥺... poor sweet Zahra, surviving all her ailments only to be killed by the person that was supposed to love and protect her. Love you and your content so much, Dr. Grande, even though this case made me super sad, I appreciate your analysis thank you for showing so much compassion and dignity to Zahra. May sweet little Zahra be resting in peace 🙏🕊️💙🌈.
Hello Dr Grande, so happy to be back. That was a great analysis. I watched the 60 minutes program. That interview was weird, and strange. She killed Zahra but took no responsibility for her actions. Thank you Dr Grande, so happy to be back. I would describe Elisa as the most hated woman, in Australia.
Wow! All I can say is that these videos from Dr. Grande make me feel very sane and normal. Despite some ups and downs I've never considered anything like the kinds of things he comments on. Thanks, Dr. Grande.
Having suffered for years at the hands of a stepparent with the other parent oblivious, clueless and in complete denial, I worried for my kids and only relaxed slightly after they were grown! I sometimes am convinced that our children are an endangered species!
I made the mistake of googling this case and ran across “court docs” that reveal even more horrific treatment this little girl endured at the hands of two men her slob-of-a-step-mother knew. I appreciate that Dr Grande tries to explain behavior by applying psychology/science but sometimes there are demons involved & the warfare is spiritual. Some people have embraced evil.
@@PutinsMommyNeverHuggedHim Where did you read this? How could that be possible? I read articles about the case and one interview with Zahra's biological mother and it seems she didn't even know where Zahra was until just before the news broke about Zahra's disappearance. She had been searching for Zahra for some time, and by the time she located Zahra, the girl was already dead. So the biological mother did not fight against the father taking Zahra out of Australia - the mother didn't even know that they were gone until she found this online photo of Zahra at her school in America. The mother and father had not maintained contact for many years. Things were not good between them, I gather, from what the mother said. But she wouldn't be more specific saying it was personal and private.
@@PutinsMommyNeverHuggedHim From the info in other articles, it was Adam Baker's family and friends who voiced concerns and objections to moving with Zahra to the U.S. They pointed out that medical treatment for Zahra was free in Australia. As far as I am aware, Adam Baker was not a man with a whole lot of money. So you can understand the practical concerns of Baker's family and friends. I think I read that some were skeptical about his sudden rush to get married to an American he met online, after only a fairly short time. However, nobody fought against Baker leaving and taking Zahra.
@@PutinsMommyNeverHuggedHim No the mother gave up custody very early on due to her severe post-natal depression. That's what the mother says, in her own words. From the sounds of it, the mother Ms.Dietrich seemed to have no contact - at least for several years before Zahra's death. It's unclear if she ever saw Zahra after relinquishing custody. It would appear that Adam Baker's mother, Zahra's grandmother, was the primary carer for Zahra whilst they lived in Australia. Adam wasn't the one responsible for looking after Zahra and her day to day care etc. So this makes it easier to see how Adam Baker could up and leave Australia with Zahra, without fully considering Zahra's medical care and the expenses that they'd incur in America - he was never the one really responsible for Zahra, his mother was. And the way that Adam arrived in the U.S. and found himself (and Elisa) without work and income. They were therefore force to live at Elisa's father's home, which didn't go well as their inability to pay bills and their broken promises etc. and behavior prompted Elisa's father to make them leave. How could any sane and sensible parent be okay with being unemployed in another country, with your unemployed spouse, and a young child with constant medical needs and disabilities to support? What if her cancer returned or she had other issues?
thank you for giving exposure to this as the story of Zahra is so jarring - the show Deadly Women produced an episode on this tragedy & Lisa's torture of Zahra is beyond comprehension; there's video of Zahra being interviewed after receiving donated hearing aids. Hickory honored Zahra by raising funds to open a playground in her honor... I think if they were not new residents to Hickory, the authorities would've intervened, albeit shame child protection services didn't wake-up to several reports. If I could earthly haunt two people in their lifetimes, it would definitely be that woman and Zahra's yob of a father.
This was in my hometown. The community really came together and rallied after her untimely death. They even built a park that is accommodating to all children, in her name. Thanks for covering this case! RIP Zahra
I'm starting to sound like a record on repeat here but I just don't care, this channel is simply brilliant and I'm delighted to see the notification that we have another case to attend to, the humour in the delivery keeps me smiling long after I'm finished watching. Tell the clever friends in your group to subscribe and I'm sure they'll thank you, anyway brilliant as always.
6 marriages and 42 different addresses! I had to rewind this to be sure I heard you correctly. Some times murder is apparently more important than love. Zarah was a gift of love ❤️. Thanks Doc, as always , for your channel…
Have cared for one of my children who had cancer multiple times throughout childhood. I’m incredibly proud of the wonderful adult she’s become, getting a degree despite missing so much school. Now runs her own (Small) business. Gives back so much to other children going through the same thing. Find this story absolutely heartbreaking 💔 on every level. Some people should come with a “government health warning!”Tattooed if necessary!!!
Good afternoon, Dr. Grande. This so Very Sad! I remember it well! Thank You for covering it. RIP Zahra💔💔💔🙏🙏🙏 She Suffered so much, and was So incredibly Brave!
I was hoping you would do a video about this case. Very close to home for me. The things I’ve heard about this woman and how she treated Zahra is just evil I’ll never understand why the dad didn’t defend Zahara or report her missing day one. There is a beautiful park now in Zahara’s memory. RIP sweet Angel 👼. On a lighter note, loved the comment about the box to check for marital status 😀 Please do a video on a similar case on Erica Parsons
Hubby #5 said he was afraid to divorce her!! Or was it #6? Who's keeping track? What a Horrid Person!! I watched the 60 minutes/Australia interview with her in prison and she absolutely denies just about Everything...With a Straight Face!! She Knows what she did; she is not delusional or unable to hold a conversation; that is what makes her so Especially Heinous.
One of the happiest moments in my daily routine is to see a notification from Dr. Grande’s channel and be able to watch it immediately.💕 What a sad case, it was difficult to watch without choking up. There is no explanation for something horrific as this. I am glad her perpetrator is exactly where she belongs. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this Dr. Grande, much appreciated.❤️
Hi Dr. Grande - this comment is unrelated to the your post, but I think it would be interesting if you did a video discussing the construct of “feelings of emptiness” associated with BPD. I’ve always been curious about what “feelings of emptiness” actually means and how it is different from something like “depression”. I know you haven’t directly touched on these topics in a while and have been instead focusing on case study analyses, but I thought it would be enlightening to hear more about that specific BPD criteria since I haven’t yet come across a clear definition of what it actually means. AS ALWAYS, thank you for the great content!
Oh my! What a sad life that poor child had. All that she had to overcome and to be killed!? Elisa was a monster!! Karma will get Elisa! Thanks for your analysis Dr. Grande.
That poor little girl. After so much illness and surviving cancer, she ends up with an abusive step monster. For anyone interested, the 60 Minutes Australia interview Zahra’s murderer is on UA-cam.
I remember seeing this case on Investigation Discovery. In that episode, the father was out of town or out of the country for a few weeks. Whenever he called Elisa told him that Zahra was asleep. He didn't find out about her death until after he returned home.
Thanks, Dr. G! I put in a request for this story after reading about it. But I wanted to hear your version. I don’t have the words to describe how I feel about both adults who were supposed to care for her…it seems Zahra was born to suffer.😞
Dr. Grande would you please cover events like the massacre of Jews in Kishinev Russia in 1903? These type of murders are seen in Rwanda and of course by the Nazis and their allies. What is your view of how the killers justify their actions? In Rwanda one of the worst killers was a teacher and soccer coach of children he murdered. How does one come to commit such horrific acts and yet seem devoid of regret?
Thank you for analysis of this most hideous crime. Especially appreciated the background information, as well as the sentencing information - in this instance, the death penalty would have been appropriate. Most offensive, the biological mother's feigned concern and grief, and father's indifference toward his daughter's suffering at the hands of his wife.
I think a lot of people underestimate how evil and competitive step mothers can be. She was abusive to her own children, she was only going to be worse to her step daughter.
Zahra's life seems to have been a series of hardships and ordeals suddenly cut short by devils. Don't know how much her dad was involved in this, but a kid with this medical condition was all too much for him alone to handle. Hope she's in a better place now.
I’m curious to know your thoughts on the character Melvin, played by Jack Nicholson alongside Helen Hunt in, ‘As Good As It Gets.’ Is there another another diagnosis besides OCD he portrays mentioned in reviews? Diane
I know, I know what you Australian's are going to say (no offense meant), but I still get a laugh out of Dr. Grande saying "Waga Waga" in his usual dead pan presentation.
It's so cute! Pronunciation was slightly off for Wagga Wagga (wogga wogga) and Queensland (queens- land) but I love whenever Dr Grande does Aussie cases :)
I just watched the Australian 60 Minutes interview with this woman, and she was unlike any other murderer I’d ever seen interviewed. She was completely emotionless except when she was asked to describe herself. It was a light switch was turned on, and she suddenly became very animated and you see hints of an attractiveness that her unlucky husbands might have been drawn to. But as soon as the interviewer moved past that topic, she went back to being almost detached, or maybe in a trance. Her large black-brown eyes stared straight at the interviewer, but they were dead. She reminded me of that great conversation in “Jaws,” between Quint (Robert Shaw) and Hooper (Richard Dreyfus) when Quint describes his experience on the USS Indianapolis which was hit by 2 Japanese torpedoes and sunk. The 1100 surviving men were left in the sea and soon came under recently attack by sharks. Quint says, “…Sometimes that shark looks right at ya. Right into your eyes. And the thing about a shark is he's got lifeless eyes. Black eyes. Like a doll's eyes…” That poor little girl didn’t stand a chance. What’s even more heartbreaking is that the chemotherapy & radiation required to treat osteosarcoma is exceptionally brutal and often kills the patient before the cancer can. That sweet girl survived that horror only to find herself being targeted by a shark!
This is one of the most heartbreaking cases to me. Sweet little Zahra, fighting cancer, loosing a leg, suffering hearing loss, and abused by her stepmother, neglected by her father, then dying and being dismembered. Life in prison would be too short for stepmom. And dad got away scott free. Disgusting.
Nobody gets away with even evil thoughts in this world, but will give an account to a Holy God! "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Zahra is in the hands of a loving God, and will never suffer again!❤️
It's amazing how some people are able to withstand the stench of their own existence.
Love this statement
That’s what I tell my wife! Can’t enter for a good 45 min after her
Wow... A more poignant thing has never been said...
I definitely have to agree with you
I couldn't agree more. 👍🏻✔️
Poor Zahra, she survived cancer twice, to have her life taken away by a heartless woman. That sad that her father didn’t protect her.
Great video Dr Grande!!
Poor Zahra, not only to have such a wicked stepmother but also to have such a useless, negligent father.
This is a rather stripped down version of her story too. I’ve seen other videos with more detail and there was way more opportunities for him to have stepped up to defend Zahra and still he let it go on. I understand that her grandparents were her major caregivers in Australia.
@@martyal whyyyyyy didn't that doofy SOB just leave her in Australia if he was dead set on marrying that old witchy looking thing??? Ugh!!
@@heathernikki5734 True!! Why would he go to all the trouble to bring her to the States when he obviously was Far Below and Beyond being just an "absent dad". Was she so wicked as to play the part of Loving Step Mom in the beginning as an enticement?
Everyone let this little girl down. Awful. Just awful beyond words.
"My child died naturally, so I dismembered her and buried her in the woods". Sure, that's what any reasonable person would do in your situation ...
Also why call 911? Just attempt CPR by yourself for half an hour.
Even IF the father had nothing to do with it. He still knew about the horrific ab*se his young daughter was going through. He still knew she was being locked in the attic and not being fed and not being homeschooled. He claims he left all the child care up to Elisa so he had no idea but wouldn't he still see his daughter when he came home from work tho? He claimed he didn't go up to the Attic so he didn't know how bad she was being ab*sed. Which is dumb. So am I supposed to take that to mean he didn't bother to go visit his daughter locked in the attic for months and months? That he didn't think it was weird his daughter was locked in an attic for months? That he didn't think it was weird he never saw his daughter? He is a monster and he deserves to be charged alongside elisa. Whether or not he helped Elisa k*ll Zara he allowed his child to be ab*sed like that. He could have just sent Zara back to live with her grandparents. Or he could have left her with the grandparents to begin with if he really didn't want to take care of her. Her grandparents would have loved to have had her stay with them they adored her and they were heartbroken when he moved to America and took her with him. It just burns me up in cases of child ab*se when the partner who is unrelated to the child is always the one convicted while the parent always gets away Scott free. Okay the parent at the very least cosigned the ab*se and didn't stand up for their own child. They deserve to be charged with the exact same crime as their partner for allowing it to happen and for forcing their child to live in an environment where they are being ab*sed. Pisses me off that the parents who are equally at fault walk away totally free the vast majority of the time.
Agreed!! I feel the same about many other cases of abuse, neglect, and murder. The other adult HAD to know something wasn't right, and could have stepped in at any time to stop the madness, but it didn't happen. Just because the other adult didn't actually cause the tragedy, it doesn't make them innocent or not accountable. Nope!!
Absolutely agree, the father allowed this to happen with his lack of action....he's disgusting.
I absolutely agree with you, but I believe he was part of his daughters murder. He didn’t report his young daughter missing for 2 weeks! Any descent parent would be calling the police within one hour of their child missing. Also, I’m not convinced that she was able to dismember her body and bury her in multiple areas alone! No way, the guy is guilty too, and got off scott free!
@@joettekanter3489 agreed . Both sociopathic , low empathy . I would of adopted her . I live in a nice 4 bed home . I was fostered my whole life . I know what it’s like to not be wanted . It’s just me and my daughter and I’ve worked my whole life to provide her a home and love . I wish I could of saved this poor girl. My mum left me in nz to start a new life when I was 12 .. not everyone loves their children . :(.
@@tulinbeyduz920 I wish you could have adopted her, you sound like a very caring compassionate person....your mother failed you, for that I feel sorry for you but you seem to have made a good life for yourself and your daughter, I wish you both well. xx
That poor little girl deserved so much better. I'm not sure I can understand her father's indifference.
@@polarbearsrus6980 Elisa Baker was not Zahra's biological mother.
@@polarbearsrus6980 He may have not known the wife's nature in the beginning but how did he not know as the relationship progressed?
Many people think that the father should have been investigated more fully in his part. One odd comment that he had made was that he hadn't seen Zahra for several days before he considered her missing.. Evidently her absence during that time didn't cause any concern on his part.
How many parents who live their children don't see them on a regular daily basis? In Zahra's case it would have been even more important in terms of her disability, her adjustment to a new country, and most importantly the fairly new family situation for her father to have been involved with her a daily basis.
The oddest part is not that Adam Baker admitted that he hadn't seen Zahra for weeks. That could be explained away a little by Adam claiming that he was away at work a lot, and simply assumed that Zahra was already in bed by the time he got home at night, and that Elisa assured him she was fine. Sure, he sounds a bit indifferent and complacent, content to assume that Elisa is looking after Zahra. When I was a kid, I used to not see my father in person (although we'd know he was home) for days sometimes, when he did shift work and he'd be sleeping in the day, and leave at night. We'd keep out of his way (we were scared of his foul moods) and on school days we'd be out until afternoon.
Odder than that is the fact that when the police were called to the Baker home over a backyard fire, that Adam made no mention of Zahra being gone. He later said he didn't know that at that time. But it was later that day that Adam called the police to report Zahra missing. This was many hours apparently, after the fake ransom note was found.
I forgot. Adam Baker also lied about Zahra being with Elisa and him on some Oktoberfest trip or something. A witnesa said they saw them and didn't see Zahra in the car with them.
In her interview with 60 Minutes, was it not disclosed that the father was working away for about two weeks, and that was when the murder took place?
@@catherineelainebaxter4609 I don't remember the interview that you are referring to, but the local sentiment of the area was that her father was involved in some way, directly or indirectly in Zahra's death.
. He r father was definitely a person of interest and police cleared him grudgingly. They had no hard evidence to link him to the murder, but they and the community felt that he .must have a hand at least n disposing Xahara's body. The lifting and moving a dead weight would have taken a lot of strength.If he had done so, it would have made him an accessory.
But again there was no hard evidence, only his extreme behavior of not to have seen her and to have considered as it as normal. Even if he wasn't at home during the murder, wouldn't he have missed her after being away for two weeks? Wouldn't he have wanted to see her when came home??
There were some unusual consequencesthat came from Zahara's murder. A retired attorney was Infuriated by the way the case was handled by the police and the DA. He felt like police bungled the case concerning the father's involvement. He also was angry that the local district attorney didn't demand the death penalty for the step mother. As a result, the lawyer left retirement and ran for district attorney on a tough on crime platform. He won the race and became the next DA.
Also I understand from some sources that law enforcement escorted Zahara's father to the airport and waited with him for him to catch a flight to take him back to Australia. They had a long wait because Zahra's father didn't have the money to return to Australia. He originally wanted the US to extradite him.. However, the US declined to do so. He was forced to wait at the airport lobby until his family raised the money for him to return.
@@SY-ok2dq There were several times in my childhood when my father was away for months or work. During that time, he was always communicating even without today's technology with letters, pictures, phone calls, and gifts. When he cane home, it was always a big deal where he immediately wanted to see my mother and me. Considering Zahra's special circumstances, it's hard to imagine a caring parent returning home and not immediately seeing his daughter. Many parents would have peeked in the bedroom just to see his )her sleeping child was safe. Evidently Adam didn't do that and had no problem with Zahra not being present when he returned . Very odd.
@@lazylady8591 Well the fact that Zahra had cancer, and was disabled as a result, you'd think that her parent would check in on her more often, and see that she was doing well with his own eyes. But Adam Baker didn't do that because he wasn't terribly concerned, in my opinion. He comes across as a bit dumb, ignorant, and to have a lack of future planning skills - he uprooted himself and Zahra from Australia where medical care is free of charge, and there are high quality facilities for cancer patients, to go all the way to some rural part of the U.S., where neither he nor Zahra were citizens and in any case, medical care is costly and could be hard to access cancer therapy in rural areas. Not to mention when he got there, both Adam and Elisa found themselves without jobs or income for a while. Great idea! They managed by living with Elisa's father until he got fed up with their behavior and lack of observance of rules.
Anyway my point is thar just the fact that a father doesn't check in on his children for days or weeks (in normal cases where the children are healthy and not disabled cancer survivors) doesn't immediately equal father that's very negligent, let alone a murderer or accomplice to concealment of murder.
But in this case, that PLUS all the other things, like Adam not noticing, or knowing but pretending not to know, about the many people who reported concern about Zahra being abused, and the way that Adam lied about Zahra being with Adam and Elisa on a recent Oktoberfest trip - all that put together is incriminating.
In Australia, Adam lived with his mother, and she seems to have been Zahra's real caretaker and she seems to have really loved Zahra and cared about her welfare. Adam was merely the parent with legal custody. I believe that he never had to really be responsible since his mother did all that. And without his mother doing all the work and caring, Adam just left it up to Elisa, and turned a blind eye to the abuse. I'm sure he never intended for Zahra to die. And probably Elisa didn't either. But he didn't stand up to Elisa and stop the abuse. And Elisa saw that he was willing to pretend to not see. He seems to have no sense of personal responsibility for Zahra.
RIP sweet Zahra. You endured so much in your short life and deserved nothing but love.
Even though her earthly parents did not provide the love, care, and protection Zahra was deserving of; she is slumbering in her Heavenly Father's presence now.
@@cherylhaskell9830 I heard her bio mother was trying to get custody of her but her father hid her away and then moved to America where she couldn't be found so easily. Zahra's mother didn't realize where her daughter was (I think) until after she died.
@@TiffWaffles oh the poor bio mom 💔 I honestly think she thought she was doing what was best by giving the dad custody, and know knowing she wanted her back breaks my heart
@@cherylhaskell9830 God's a bit tardy to the party, no? Why do you think he waited until after she was horrifically abused and slaughtered? Why didn't god show mercy to Zahra _before_ she was quite literally butchered?
@@QuinnieMae those comments are left by bots
This one was particularly heart-wrenching. I hope Zahra’s father experiences daily anguish about how horrifically he failed her. 😞
Heartbroken for Zahra. Such a misfortunate life.
@@SonOfEric52 Rubbish. there is no god, only nature. What you are saying is what you wish were true, but I truly feel sad for little Zara, she did have a bad life and suffered whilst living it. That's not 'loving' nor 'fair', it's sadistic and nasty...if there was a being that inflicts such things on innocent humans.
@@dingo1666
Thank you! You took the words right out of my mouth!
@@SonOfEric52 whoa, tell that to the folks who get tortured and raped to death. Have some compassion, dang
Dr. Grande's Dry Roast would be a nice coffee brand.
Edit: comes in one size. Grande.
I would buy it! Cheers
Yes, indeed. I would start drinking coffee again for that blend.
It comes in two blend dry and the driest! Genius idea though. I love it!
@@thelostronin Thread comments hilarious. 😂 😃
That made me laugh and chuckle, Thanks!
…and then the ultimate horror, being murdered and dismembered. How one little girl could be born to face all these atrocities?!? Poor baby girl.
Precious little girl, she had to go through so much in her short life. RIP. Step mom is a monster. All I can say is to be very careful who you marry, especially if you have children.
Not only marry but allow someone to cohabitate when children are involved.
She’s in prison for life and I seen on video that she’s in protective custody because she’s the most hated monster there. I’m glad she’s behind bars and has no friends.
This is monsters
@@Catsss1017 There was a woman in my state who k*lled her stepdaughter. She was arrested and while she was in jail awaiting trial she was kept away from the other inmates. One day she had a Court date and was put in a holding cell. 2 other women were also put in the cell. The 2 women realized who she was and, well, let's just say they delivered jail house justice. The guards got in there as quickly as they could and it was claimed that it was a clerical error that this woman was put in a cell with others. But I can't help wonder if it truly was a mistake or a "mistake". The 2 women got in trouble but they didn't care.
@@user-lk2qf4rt3m I have a stepdaughter who I love as much as my two biological children. I have loved and supported her since she was 4 yrs old. She is now 29. I could never do anything to harm her in any way. We get along so well people think we are mother and daughter. I actually hate calling hery "step" but I don't want to take anything away from her mother. Not all stepparents are bad. I'm sorry you had a bad childhood but most stepparents are not like this.
Thank you for the lack of jokes in this one. This is a case that has stuck with me as a mother and always will. I find it hard to believe that Adam had no idea what was going on. If my kids have bruises, I want answers. Even if those answers are that they're a result of kids being kids, I want to know.
Did you watch the full video? He made several jokes, mainly about Elisa's bigamy.
Yes ..that's true .. but kids who have gone through cancer treatments bruise and often have other life long health issues
I think the step monster told him she was clumsy because of her leg ..
Though I do agree .. how did he not know
60 minutes Australia has a great story on Sarah's case
🇦🇺
Never underestimate the effects of abuse and fear as a method of control. Inability to take action, even entering a physically paralyzed state, is a not uncommon trauma respons - including trauma from mental abuse.
(Note: I'm not taking sides for or against the husbands involvement, responsibility or knowledge of the abuse against his daughter, as I'm in no way familiar to the case beyond this video by Dr. Grande. I merely seek to increase general understanding of abuse and abuse related trauma.)
Adam seems just as dim. Poor little Zhara had very little hope in life. She was a special angel and God called her.
It is a shame that of all the youtubers that cover this kind of content, you are one that gets demonetized. You clearly and concisely provide information and fair analysis, and you always preserve the dignity of individuals you talk about. For that reason, for the first time ever, I'm going to support someone on Patreon. You truly deserve the support! Thank you again, Dr. Grande!
"... you always preserve the dignity of individuals you talk about." My thoughts exactly!
Really? I don't even know what his politics are, why would he get de-monied?? My guess is that people from all over the political spectrum enjoy this channel.
@@FlatWorld_Jomhuri_Regime it's not politics. He explains in another video elsewhere that the content matter gets him demonetized. Ostensibly because the content can be quite grim in the details, particularly with serial killers or other crime analysis videos.
@@FlatWorld_Jomhuri_Regime certain words and topics get demonize by UA-cam. I see and hear a fraction of what I use to see. I am Googleing this before I watch Dr Grande. Dr Grande is very good at keeping the topic clean and clear for UA-cam or for anyone. We the viewers need to be skilled at reading between the lines and not blame the content creator for missing details.
@@cheridehart7771 OK, but rap videos about gangster killings and raping and all this other criminal nonsense, _don't_ get demonetized??
The custodial parent above all else should put their child’s welfare as a priority and I don’t think this was done. At the very least Dad should have done a background check on this woman before moving to America it was his duty to protect Zara.
Way to blame the victim
@@comegetpsalm7362 her dad is NOT a victim!!!!!!!
@@comegetpsalm7362 The dad didn't protect the daughter. The 👧 is the victim not the dad. How did he not know what was going on?
You are all biased. That stepmother was beyond evil but you guys portraying the father as the purputraiter.
Exactly . He must of had very low awareness .. some people don’t even deserve children
Zara’s father pisses me off how he tries to act all saddened and innocent when you allowed this monster in your life and to be a step mother to your daughter who had suffered enough with illness which left her disabled. He knew Zara was being abused but turned a blind eye to it. He is also responsible for her death he brought this killer into his daughters life and didn’t protect her.
It’s such a sad story about Zahra, & such a brutal & unnecessary one about Elisa Baker. Thank you for covering this story Dr Grande. I hope Elisa Baker never gets out (I can’t believe she got 14 yrs for killing Zahra [not long enough. Imagine someone like that out in society] & 10 yrs for dealing prescription drugs[!]. The proportions seems out of whack). This is one of the saddest cases, & it seems incomprehensible.
I am from NC and I have mentioned this case before in relation to the Daybell case and at least one other. Something needs to be done about homeschooling. I am not suggesting an outright ban, but there needs to be oversight. Homeschooling can be great when it is done correctly. Most of the people I know who are doing it barely graduated high school themselves, They speak in double negatives and would be perfectly at hom on the Jerry Springer show. There is no education in many of these settings. Worse still is a case like this and many, many others You take the kid out of school, isolate them and there is no one to see them wasting away from malnutrition and no one to report the bruises and burns, no one to report the excessive exploitation of child labor (I personally know someone who was pulled out of school at 12 and was basically treated as an indentured servant by his parents). In Zahra's and in the case of the Daybell children no one even knew they were missing for weeks.
Well if someone had followed up on the black eye that would have helped maybe. Creating new laws won’t help when they don’t follow up on the old ones
This story made me really sad. My boyfriend and I just got engaged and we're thinking about having kids someday. Some financial issues are causing us stress, but I know he would be a wonderful Dad and that somehow we can make it work. This poor girl had so much going on in her life only to come across this witch who had no love in her heart for anyone but herself. Thanks for the video Dr. Grande ❤️ *sigh* I hope wherever Zahra is, she's not in pain anymore.
Oh dear God. The mention of her little prosthetic leg really got to me. RIP angel x
The first time I heard this story, I wanted to meet Elisa Baker...see how she does with a disabled adult her own size...one who knows a cane can double as a weapon...
As a child of two narcissists, I can say that they will do all the mental gymnastics they need to do in order to justify their transgressions as human beings. They're good at convincing people, because they themselves are convinced.
It’s a tough place, I know what you mean. What helps me is to try and do good for my own little one.
Same boat my friend..it makes it quite difficult but coming to terms with it helps ! At least we can face it head on and try to deal with it in a healthy way !
This happened near my home. Elisa better hope she stays in prison. She's not well liked around here.
I would imagine Elisa has to be separated from the general population in lockdown. Child murderers are particularly vulnerable in prison.
If someone hurts one of mine, I want him or her out on the street because it’s easier to get to them.
I'm in SE Virginia. Not that close, but I remember this case well. It was so tragic.
Roxanne on some gang ish 🔪
@@giaparmer dang right. My sister has Downs Syndrome. It would be good if I never ever ran into her.
I recommend watching the 60 Minutes Australia episode on this case, if anyone is looking for additional information. Terrible case; Zahra was failed by everyone who should have protected her 💔
Such a heartbreaking sad story. Thank you for covering it with compassion and empathy for little Zahra.
I just love you because you have such a calming voice while telling stories of horrific acts and craziness. Bless you. Your wife and fam are lucky to have you in their lives
Home schooling has a lot to answer for. It's amazing how many "parents" use this to mask their negligence/abuse.
She'd been seen at school with two black eyes. A teacher gave the child her personal phone number and told her to call her if she needed help. Elisa and Adam Baker went to the school and complained about this as an impropriety on the teacher's part. Soon after, they withdrew Zahra from school and Elisa said she was home schooling her.
What a very sad story.
I don't understand how it was okay for the child to be taken out of school when there were accusations of abuse going on. That would enable the abuser to hurt the child with no one to notice.
Precisely.
She's got that smirk... Love you Dr Grande and viewers xxx
This is a separate issue, but if you have a medically fragile family member, you shouldn’t move to the United States unless you have an S-ton of money. We have the most expensive, least efficient medical care “system” in the developed world. (I am a hospital doctor.)
We have an excellent public health care system in Australia which is completely free.
Exactly… with her medical history… the fact that her dad moved to the US with your health system should have raised red flags for all concerned. Clearly didn’t put his daughter’s interests first.
Sad but true.
I always wondered how they thought that was going to work too. I’ve lived in the US and am Australian and I don’t know why they didn’t choose to live in the country with the free healthcare? I don’t think Zahra would have been eligible for medicaid in the US (not for a few years at least) so Elisa would have needed top health insurance and even then there would have been significant out of pocket costs. I’ve seen her father interviewed several times though and he is not an educated man and was probably pretty ignorant about the struggles he would face, I assume Elisa said she would insure them and in Australia private health cover means you always get the best treatment with little out of pocket cost. Here health insurance basically = never having to worry and I doubt he realised people with health insurance still face significant barriers to receiving healthcare in the US, high costs and red tape. He also probably figured if Zahra got really sick they’d fly home to Australia for treatment.
Which country do u work in ?
This is probably the most disturbing case that I've ever heard. Zahra had so many obstacles so early in her short life. She was short on being loved.
If you know the actual details of the case, it is far worse than the summary presented here.
, That's what I was afraid of. I don't think I could sleep if I knew more. 😟
@@girlygal098 Better not knowing all the details. The little girl always looked happy and sweet in her pictures. If there is a heaven I hope she enjoys all the things in life she was denied. And people who abuse children should be glad I don't share a cell with them.
🎗🎗🎗🎗🎗🎗
Thank You for doing Zarah's story.
This story hits so close to home (having grown up in Wagga Wagga and losing my son to cancer )
Zarah deserves to be remembered not only for what that "woman"did to her ..but for the sweet natured strong little girl she was .
September was CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS month as well has white ribbon for child abuse .
Fly high Zarah.. happy and safe in heaven where no monsters can ever hurt you again .
🎗🎗🎗🎗🎗🎗🎗🏳
This is perhaps one of the most horrifying and heartbreaking cases against a child I’ve heard about in a while. That poor kid! 🥺😭💔
Some people have no souls.
Dr. Grande, have you considered reviewing the Netflix series about an Indian family who committed suicide? It’s called “House of Secrets”. Would love to hear your take.
Oh, YES! That's an interesting case.
That was proven to be fake
@@keonblizzy3706 how was it proven to be fake?
@@keonblizzy3706 evidence?
I watched this too, very good.
Zahra had a face of an angel. Hope she is in peace now.
I’m no medical professional, but I think that Zahra didn’t have lung cancer - she had sarcoma (bone cancer) that had metastasized to her lung (a usual place for sarcoma mets).
And Alisa was given only 14-18 years in prison?!! Ridiculously low sentence for what she did.
I think 14-18 is low too. However, I think 10 is high for the other crimes, just compared to what others serve for similar crimes. The sentences are consecutive, she has to serve them both. I feel like the judge padded the second sentence to make up for the first one, and I am happy he/she did.
10 years for selling prescription drugs and 14 for torturing a disabled child for months ...murdering her, and chopping up her poor body. There is NO justice.
I was the same age as Zahra and lived in the community where this happened, Zahra and I would have been in the same middle school, and our school bus passed her trailer and where parts of her body was found. Her story was what made me realize for the first time that adults could be evil. I thought and hoped she had ran away and was just missing until body parts were found.
In the name of God !!!..that woman is a monster, how could she murder a child who already had been through so much ?....and then chop her up. This story is the stuff of nightmares, it's hard to wrap your head around it.
God didn’t have much to do with this, for sure. In fact god seems to be checked out lately.
@@QuinnieMae - evil is real. You're checked out for saying that. Believe me God is never checked out.
I love when you go over the research literature that describes personality types of offenders, super interesting!
When I hear your voice and calmness it’s like coming home❤️Thank you🙏
What a heavy case, Dr. G 🥺... poor sweet Zahra, surviving all her ailments only to be killed by the person that was supposed to love and protect her. Love you and your content so much, Dr. Grande, even though this case made me super sad, I appreciate your analysis thank you for showing so much compassion and dignity to Zahra. May sweet little Zahra be resting in peace 🙏🕊️💙🌈.
Hello Dr Grande, so happy to be back. That was a great analysis. I watched the 60 minutes program. That interview was weird, and strange. She killed Zahra but took no responsibility for her actions. Thank you Dr Grande, so happy to be back. I would describe Elisa as the most hated woman, in Australia.
I was struck the interviewer didn’t give an inch on her questioning. She didn’t buy one piece of Elisa’s b.s.
Wow! All I can say is that these videos from Dr. Grande make me feel very sane and normal. Despite some ups and downs I've never considered anything like the kinds of things he comments on. Thanks, Dr. Grande.
Having suffered for years at the hands of a stepparent with the other parent oblivious, clueless and in complete denial, I worried for my kids and only relaxed slightly after they were grown! I sometimes am convinced that our children are an endangered species!
That poor little girl. Life was horrible to her.
Life = her stepmother
@@aircastles1013 And yknow... cancer. Surgery. Chemotherapy.
I made the mistake of googling this case and ran across “court docs” that reveal even more horrific treatment this little girl endured at the hands of two men her slob-of-a-step-mother knew. I appreciate that Dr Grande tries to explain behavior by applying psychology/science but sometimes there are demons involved & the warfare is spiritual. Some people have embraced evil.
That poor little girl. I'm sure her biological mother has suffered so much too since she was ill & couldn't protect Zahra
@@PutinsMommyNeverHuggedHim
So sad. My 💜 breaks for the little girl
@@PutinsMommyNeverHuggedHim Where did you read this? How could that be possible?
I read articles about the case and one interview with Zahra's biological mother and it seems she didn't even know where Zahra was until just before the news broke about Zahra's disappearance. She had been searching for Zahra for some time, and by the time she located Zahra, the girl was already dead. So the biological mother did not fight against the father taking Zahra out of Australia - the mother didn't even know that they were gone until she found this online photo of Zahra at her school in America. The mother and father had not maintained contact for many years. Things were not good between them, I gather, from what the mother said. But she wouldn't be more specific saying it was personal and private.
@@PutinsMommyNeverHuggedHim From the info in other articles, it was Adam Baker's family and friends who voiced concerns and objections to moving with Zahra to the U.S. They pointed out that medical treatment for Zahra was free in Australia. As far as I am aware, Adam Baker was not a man with a whole lot of money. So you can understand the practical concerns of Baker's family and friends. I think I read that some were skeptical about his sudden rush to get married to an American he met online, after only a fairly short time.
However, nobody fought against Baker leaving and taking Zahra.
@@PutinsMommyNeverHuggedHim No the mother gave up custody very early on due to her severe post-natal depression. That's what the mother says, in her own words.
From the sounds of it, the mother Ms.Dietrich seemed to have no contact - at least for several years before Zahra's death. It's unclear if she ever saw Zahra after relinquishing custody.
It would appear that Adam Baker's mother, Zahra's grandmother, was the primary carer for Zahra whilst they lived in Australia. Adam wasn't the one responsible for looking after Zahra and her day to day care etc. So this makes it easier to see how Adam Baker could up and leave Australia with Zahra, without fully considering Zahra's medical care and the expenses that they'd incur in America - he was never the one really responsible for Zahra, his mother was. And the way that Adam arrived in the U.S. and found himself (and Elisa) without work and income. They were therefore force to live at Elisa's father's home, which didn't go well as their inability to pay bills and their broken promises etc. and behavior prompted Elisa's father to make them leave. How could any sane and sensible parent be okay with being unemployed in another country, with your unemployed spouse, and a young child with constant medical needs and disabilities to support? What if her cancer returned or she had other issues?
Mannnn, idk how you push out so much content! Thanks!!
I don't think he's human. I'm not diagnosing, just speculation.
thank you for giving exposure to this as the story of Zahra is so jarring - the show Deadly Women produced an episode on this tragedy & Lisa's torture of Zahra is beyond comprehension; there's video of Zahra being interviewed after receiving donated hearing aids. Hickory honored Zahra by raising funds to open a playground in her honor... I think if they were not new residents to Hickory, the authorities would've intervened, albeit shame child protection services didn't wake-up to several reports. If I could earthly haunt two people in their lifetimes, it would definitely be that woman and Zahra's yob of a father.
My home town is Wagga this story really hits hard how can someone be so cruel and heartless I'll never know may her soul be at ease
This was in my hometown. The community really came together and rallied after her untimely death. They even built a park that is accommodating to all children, in her name. Thanks for covering this case! RIP Zahra
Another lettie staunch! :-/
R. I. P. Zahra. :-(
Very many thanks as always Dr. Grande, for an excellent video and insight into these cases.
I'm starting to sound like a record on repeat here but I just don't care, this channel is simply brilliant and I'm delighted to see the notification that we have another case to attend to, the humour in the delivery keeps me smiling long after I'm finished watching. Tell the clever friends in your group to subscribe and I'm sure they'll thank you, anyway brilliant as always.
Wow! Brilliant twice!
❤️👍
6 marriages and 42 different addresses! I had to rewind this to be sure I heard you correctly. Some times murder is apparently more important than love. Zarah was a gift of love ❤️. Thanks Doc, as always , for your channel…
Couldn't hold a candle to Zsa zsa Gabor! 9️⃣🏆🥳🎈🥇🤣
The local maladroit had me smiling, thanks for that. That woman must have had one hell of a memory to keep all her situations apart.
Have cared for one of my children who had cancer multiple times throughout childhood.
I’m incredibly proud of the wonderful adult she’s become, getting a degree despite missing so much school. Now runs her own
(Small) business.
Gives back so much to other children going through the same thing.
Find this story absolutely heartbreaking 💔 on every level.
Some people should come with a “government health warning!”Tattooed if necessary!!!
Good afternoon, Dr. Grande. This so Very Sad! I remember it well! Thank You for covering it. RIP Zahra💔💔💔🙏🙏🙏 She Suffered so much, and was So incredibly Brave!
So she gets 10 to 14 years for MURDER and 10 years for dealing drugs.....that's one fucked up system!! That poor little girl.
He may not have been present Zahra was murdered but he surely was the one who set her up.
I was hoping you would do a video about this case. Very close to home for me. The things I’ve heard about this woman and how she treated Zahra is just evil I’ll never understand why the dad didn’t defend Zahara or report her missing day one. There is a beautiful park now in Zahara’s memory. RIP sweet Angel 👼. On a lighter note, loved the comment about the box to check for marital status 😀
Please do a video on a similar case on Erica Parsons
Poor Zahra!😢💔 This one definitely tugs the heart strings Dr Grande! But thank you for your analysis doc. You covered this tragic case well. 💙💙
You are getting closer to 1 Mio I am soo excited!!! You deserve that ✨ so proud of you 💜
Thank you Dr Grande, for covering this horrific case. This was my request a year or two ago. 🙏
Also 60MINUTES AUSTRALIA have done an episode and interview!
⁉️ I can never understand HOW some people have multiple partners!!???🙍♀️🙍🙋♂️🙍♀️🙍🙋♂️🙋♀️🧑🍼🙎🙍♂️🙋🙋♀️ just thinking about it is draining 😔
People are very different. Some are murders with multiple husbands and but most are like you are me. Not murders with a one partner max restriction.
Yes
@@Yokovich_ You are absolutely right , I didn't think about it this way 🌷
@@victoriamayo5774 💗
Hubby #5 said he was afraid to divorce her!! Or was it #6? Who's keeping track? What a Horrid Person!! I watched the 60 minutes/Australia interview with her in prison and she absolutely denies just about Everything...With a Straight Face!! She Knows what she did; she is not delusional or unable to hold a conversation; that is what makes her so Especially Heinous.
I have binged so many of your videos I can say your into word for word with you now.
This is One Case that I Can’t Forget or Forgive.Thanks For Helping Me to Understand The Jealousy Component.💚
One of the happiest moments in my daily routine is to see a notification from Dr. Grande’s channel and be able to watch it immediately.💕
What a sad case, it was difficult to watch without choking up. There is no explanation for something horrific as this. I am glad her perpetrator is exactly where she belongs.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this Dr. Grande, much appreciated.❤️
Me to
Yes, me to, I look forward to getting notifications that video from Dr Grande are ready to view.
Spending a wonderful Friday night catching up on my Dr. G videos! 😀
Hi Dr. Grande - this comment is unrelated to the your post, but I think it would be interesting if you did a video discussing the construct of “feelings of emptiness” associated with BPD. I’ve always been curious about what “feelings of emptiness” actually means and how it is different from something like “depression”. I know you haven’t directly touched on these topics in a while and have been instead focusing on case study analyses, but I thought it would be enlightening to hear more about that specific BPD criteria since I haven’t yet come across a clear definition of what it actually means. AS ALWAYS, thank you for the great content!
what a way to start a Monday! thanks Dr!! ♡
This little girl didn't stand a chance. These cases only make me think of how unfair life is for many people. These were 10 years of only misery.
Dr. Grande I'm living for your content!
That poor little girl, just heartbreaking 💔
Oh my! What a sad life that poor child had. All that she had to overcome and to be killed!? Elisa was a monster!! Karma will get Elisa! Thanks for your analysis Dr. Grande.
What a sad story. Thanks for your upload again Dr G😊💚💚
The one thing I cannot take/ listen too is child abuse . Poor little girl...:(
That poor little girl. After so much illness and surviving cancer, she ends up with an abusive step monster. For anyone interested, the 60 Minutes Australia interview Zahra’s murderer is on UA-cam.
Who needs a good book to curl up with when you've got Dr. Grande?
I remember seeing this case on Investigation Discovery. In that episode, the father was out of town or out of the country for a few weeks. Whenever he called Elisa told him that Zahra was asleep. He didn't find out about her death until after he returned home.
Much appreciated for your articulateness
Thanks, Dr. G! I put in a request for this story after reading about it. But I wanted to hear your version. I don’t have the words to describe how I feel about both adults who were supposed to care for her…it seems Zahra was born to suffer.😞
Dr. Grande would you please cover events like the massacre of Jews in Kishinev Russia in 1903? These type of murders are seen in Rwanda and of course by the Nazis and their allies. What is your view of how the killers justify their actions? In Rwanda one of the worst killers was a teacher and soccer coach of children he murdered. How does one come to commit such horrific acts and yet seem devoid of regret?
Hi Dr. Grande! Have a great week! ❤️
Thank you for analysis of this most hideous crime. Especially appreciated the background information, as well as the sentencing information - in this instance, the death penalty would have been appropriate.
Most offensive, the biological mother's feigned concern and grief, and father's indifference toward his daughter's suffering at the hands of his wife.
There was no information about the biological mother.
I think a lot of people underestimate how evil and competitive step mothers can be. She was abusive to her own children, she was only going to be worse to her step daughter.
Maybe you are like that doesn’t mean others are.
@@loopsruby lmao, what?
Wowww I’m from Burlington NC and hearing this happened 2 hours from it is really chilling. What a horrible story 😔
Zahra's life seems to have been a series of hardships and ordeals suddenly cut short by devils. Don't know how much her dad was involved in this, but a kid with this medical condition was all too much for him alone to handle. Hope she's in a better place now.
Thank you for covering this 🙏😔 this was so heartbreaking. As a Aussie I appreciate it. Beautiful Zahra 🙏r. i p 😔 😢
LOVE LOVE your sense of humour !
I’m curious to know your thoughts on the character Melvin, played by Jack Nicholson alongside Helen Hunt in, ‘As Good As It Gets.’ Is there another another diagnosis besides OCD he portrays mentioned in reviews? Diane
You are the best ! Love to you and your family
Dr. Grande manages to enunciate the word “horror” with just one syllable…
I know, I know what you Australian's are going to say (no offense meant), but I still get a laugh out of Dr. Grande saying "Waga Waga" in his usual dead pan presentation.
It's so cute! Pronunciation was slightly off for Wagga Wagga (wogga wogga) and Queensland (queens- land) but I love whenever Dr Grande does Aussie cases :)
@@tonkalicious132 yep. He also mispronounced Zahra. It's not Z-AHH-ra. It's simply pronounced Zara (like Lara).
She cuts up a little girls body and only get 13 years? Wtf is wrong with this world. No dismemberment charges
I just watched the Australian 60 Minutes interview with this woman, and she was unlike any other murderer I’d ever seen interviewed. She was completely emotionless except when she was asked to describe herself. It was a light switch was turned on, and she suddenly became very animated and you see hints of an attractiveness that her unlucky husbands might have been drawn to. But as soon as the interviewer moved past that topic, she went back to being almost detached, or maybe in a trance. Her large black-brown eyes stared straight at the interviewer, but they were dead. She reminded me of that great conversation in “Jaws,” between Quint (Robert Shaw) and Hooper (Richard Dreyfus) when Quint describes his experience on the USS Indianapolis which was hit by 2 Japanese torpedoes and sunk. The 1100 surviving men were left in the sea and soon came under recently attack by sharks. Quint says, “…Sometimes that shark looks right at ya. Right into your eyes. And the thing about a shark is he's got lifeless eyes. Black eyes. Like a doll's eyes…” That poor little girl didn’t stand a chance. What’s even more heartbreaking is that the chemotherapy & radiation required to treat osteosarcoma is exceptionally brutal and often kills the patient before the cancer can. That sweet girl survived that horror only to find herself being targeted by a shark!
What a horrible woman and an awful father! Poor Zahra. 😭
I if she died of an illness why would you need to dismember her and hide her body
I love when you do Aussie cases! Thanks Dr Grande :)
Dr Grande my son was involved in a motor vehicle accident. He had a fracture skull,arm leg and ribs. We have brought him home. He's going much better.