SLING BLADE WORLD: THE INEVITABLE SLAYING OF ZAHRA BAKER

Acclaimed Investigative Reporter and child advocate, Suzanne Marcus Fletcher, launches a weekly news magazine on the popular itunes podcast, “The Body Politic,” www.blogtalkradio/thebodypolitic this week. The news podcasts, in magazine style format, will highlight pivotal, often life and death issues facing marginalized women and children worldwide. “Sling Blade World: The inevitable slaying of Zahra Clare Baker” focuses on one of the most heinous stories of child abuse, neglect, and subsequent juvenile homicides in recent memory. On February 21, 2011, the Grand Jury of Catawba County, NC, returned a True Bill of Indictment for Second Degree Murder against Elisa Baker for the death of Zahra Baker. The homicide of 10-year-old Zahra Baker continues to garner world attention–– depicting an unadulterated view into human evil. Relentless abuse perpetrated by step mother Elisa Baker against her handicapped daughter––a two-time bone cancer surviver––– who lost her hearing and lower left leg to the disease ––gripped hardened veterans in child protective services fields internationally, and leaves the public at large with highly disturbing questions. Family members and neighbors detailed egregious stories to the DSS and media sources regarding Zahras' situation, which includes, but is not limited to, nearly 24/7 lock-down, beatings, five minute eating intervals, black eyes, and unspeakably brutal reports by those who allegedly watched Elisa Baker force Zahra to walk long distances on her prosthetic leg–––with punishment if Zahras’ pace slowed. Part of the world outrage stems from the fact that Zahra's death could have been prevented by a functioning Department of Social Services system that communicated between counties Caldwell and Catawba, NC, where the DSS was said to have been contacted nearly ten times collectively. Will anyone be convicted in Zahra's death?