HICKORY, N.C.,None — Elisa Baker, stepmother of 10-year-old Zahra Baker, was charged Monday with second-degree murder in the girl's death.
Jay Gaither, the district attorney representing Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties, announced the indictment on Monday afternoon. Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins called the charge a milestone in the investigation, which has spanned more than four months and captured global attention.
RAW VIDEO: Hickory Police Hold News Conference On Elisa Baker Charge
SLIDESHOW: Indictment Papers For Elisa Baker
"The indictment is a milestone of holding someone accountable that members of team Zahra have been working toward since October 2010," Adkins said. "We will continue our investigation and follow every lead until the first day of trial for the prosecution of Zahra's death."
Elisa and Adam Baker, Zahra's father, reported her missing on Oct. 9, telling police they last saw the girl sleeping in her bed at about 2:30 a.m. (Click here to listen to the 911 call.) An Amber Alert was issued and a massive search for Zahra ensued.
SLIDESHOW: Photos Of Zahra Baker
On Oct. 12, Adkins announced the cancellation of the Amber Alert and the decision to investigate Zahra's disappearance as a homicide.
An exhaustive search for evidence proceeded, spanning three counties and several locations. Investigators searched a wood pile in Burke County, two ponds, the Bakers' Hickory home, a Caldwell County landfill, a rural area off Christie Road and a creek and its surrounding banks in the Dudley Shoals area.
MAP: Key Locations In Zahra's Disappearance
On Oct. 26, police found Zahra's prosthetic leg off Christie Road. On Nov. 10, her remains were found in the Dudley Shoals area.
RAW VIDEO: Chief Announces Finding Remains
SLIDESHOW: Memorial Grows Outside Zahra's Home
Elisa Baker has been jailed throughout the investigation on an obstruction of justice charge. Police said she admitted to writing a fake ransom note.
Up until Monday, no charges had been filed in connection with Zahra's death. Gaither said Monday there is no credible evidence to suggest anyone other than Elisa Baker was involved in the girl's death.
The district attorney's office received the 10,000-plus page case file about three weeks ago. At the time, officials estimated they would need about three weeks to go through the file.
Autopsy Report
An autopsy report released Monday listed Zahra's cause of death as "undetermined homicidal violence." Tool marks were found on the girl's skeletal remains, including 11 cut marks on her leg bones, the report says. Several of her bones were not recovered, including her skull, according to the report.
WATCH: Autopsy Report Released In Zahra Baker Case
PDF: Zahra Baker's Autopsy Report
PDF: Medical Examiner's Report On Zahra Baker
The report also says that Zahra's body was dismembered, which corroborates information found in search warrants released in mid-November. According to the documents, Elisa Baker told police the girl had been dismembered and that her body parts would be found in different locations.
'History and Pattern Of Physical, Verbal and Psychological Abuse'
Elisa Baker had a history and pattern of physical, verbal and psychological abuse against Zahra, the indictment says.
After the indictment was announced, local Department of Social Services offices detailed their involvement with the Baker family.
Caldwell County DSS officials said workers responded to four calls of abuse last year at the Bakers' Caldwell County home. On Jan. 29, Feb. 4 and May 28, DSS officials said they met with the family and neighbors to discuss the allegations of abuse. (Click here to read the statement from the Caldwell County DSS.)
Officials said no evidence of abuse was found in any of the visits.
DSS officials said they received a fourth call on June 12 and responded to the home, but the family had moved to Catawba County. The case was then turned over to that county's DSS office.
On Monday, about three hours after the grand jury returned with the indictment, the Catawba County DSS said workers went to the family's Saw Mills home in mid-July, only to find that they had moved. They said they then made a surprise visit to the Bakers' Hickory home on July 13 and interviewed Zahra, Adam and Elisa Baker. (Click here to read the statement from the Catawba County DSS.)
DSS workers returned on two other occasions, officials said, but found no evidence that Zahra was mistreated or that there was a child safety issue. The case was closed Aug. 6, and DSS said it received no other reports until Zahra's disappearance.
Attorney: Indictment Vindicates Adam Baker
Adam Baker's attorney, Mark Killian, said his client was vindicated when Hickory police announced the charges against Elisa Baker and did not file charges against Adam Baker.
WATCH: Adam Baker Feels Vindication After Elisa Baker Murder Charge
Killian said Baker was relieved when he heard about the charges and that he has maintained his innocence in his daughter's death.
"I don't think he knows a 100 percent of anything," Killian said when asked how much his client knew about Elisa Baker's alleged role in Zahra's death. "Like I said, he worked long hours around the time this was going on. There's still some questions he's got in his mind that we want answered."
Killian said he could not get into specifics because of the pending case.
Community Members Question Charges
Some people in the Hickory community told Channel 9 they don't think the second-degree murder charge is strong enough. Eddie Mitchell, who lives across the street from the Bakers' former home, attended Monday's news conference to hear the charge firsthand.
"I feel I don't know all exactly the details, but I think it should be first-degree murder," Mitchell said.
WATCH: Neighbors Upset With 2nd-Degree Murder Charge
Clara Mathe said she's followed the case since the beginning and that she thinks Adam Baker should also be held responsible for Zahra's death.
"There are many details about the case we in Hickory are just assuming -- things we don't know, all the details -- but we're appalled at what happened," Mathe said.
Elisa Baker is scheduled to make her first court appearance since the charges were announced on Friday. Her bond was set at $200,000.
WSOC
