It made me sad to read that little Zahra Baker didn’t want to leave Australia, her friends of course, and especially her beloved Grandma Karen.

She had already lost so much: a leg to bone cancer, the gut-wrenching sickness of being treated for lung tumors, lost her hearing; her mama wasn’t in her life.

Still, Zahra was happy and loved her life in Giru. Her daddy worked at the mill with his father and brother while she stayed with her grandma.

Actually, little-miss-freckled-face was kind of a celebrity. She flew up and down the halls in the hospital on her crutches; doing homework with other kids between chemotherapy sessions; encouraged other patients, always smiling.

Zahra met this woman once; she was at the hospital to have her head shaved. Her name is Kim Wright, she’s 44. Miss bright-eyes took her hand and told her not to be scared.

Zahra was six … can you image that?

They became good friends.

When Zahra got really sick and had to have her leg amputated, she told Kim on the phone:

“It’s okay because I’m going to be getting a Barbie leg, so I don’t want you to be upset.”

I’m at a loss for words … almost.

Zahra would want you to know about her daddy hookin’ up with her stepmom, Elisa Fairchild from North Carolina. They met online at IMVU.com, an online community where users interact with 3-D avatars.

Elisa’s MySpace page was full of skulls and crossbones and background music: “Living Dead Girl.” Jeez.

In 2008 Elisa went to Australia to meet the family.

Zahra’s friend, Kim knew this woman wasn’t being truthful from the get-go.

First of all, she claimed to be a police woman shot in the line of duty, then says she was a bounty hunter. C’mon.

“She had a lot of stories that never quite rang true,” Kim sighed.

I have a six-year-old granddaughter and can’t imagine Grandma Karen’s pain of saying goodbye to little Zahra, the child she raised, loved and nurtured, nursed through incredible sickness all of her life.

After all, Hickory, North Carolina is 10,000 miles away.

Can’t imagine grandma’s terror when the news of Zahra’s disappearance slammed into her gut.

And worst of all, grandma’s nightmare when Zahra’s body is found dismembered.

Now, the stepmom has been charged with bigamy; accused of getting hitched to Zahra’s daddy while still married to a man named Aaron Young.

Elisa Baker (?) is still in jail for hindering the investigation of Zahra’s disappearance.

Problem is, who took little Zahra’s life?

Grandma wants to know—needs to know.

Stay tuned…

May Your Glass Always Be Half Full

Find out more about Maxi at:
http://maximalone.com

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