Thursday, October 28, 2010

A Community Fails "Zahra Claire Baker"


The name “Zahra” is Arabic and it’s translation a "blooming flower."


What a wonderful way to remember a young girl who is making national headlines not for her beautiful name, but for her brief and painful life as authorities in North Carolina work to locate her remains.

Zahra Clare Baker was diagnosed with bone cancer five years ago. Doctors in Australia amputated her leg and, according to reports from her birthplace, she adjusted well to the treatments and her new prosthetic leg. The chemo also caused Zahra to lose her hearing, and in a photo on the Internet we see this bright flower during a fitting for hearing aids. In 2007, her father took his daughter away from excellent medical care, family and friends in Australia to the United States, only to marry a violent dangerous older woman that makes Cinderella‘s step mother look like a saint.

I question those in the community who are now coming forward and making statements on how they witnessed psycho step-parent beat Zahra? Or talk about the bruises to her face, neck and body? At ten years of age Zahra was battling cancer and neighbors stood by and watched, time and time again, this child being beaten. Neighbors could often hear Zahra screaming from inside the home.

Now, these same folks are applying lipstick or taking the time to grab a clean shirt for the camera crews covering this senseless tragedy. My response is W.T.F.!

I suggest those now coming forward about witnessing Zahra being hurt-if they have children of their own, DSS should remove those kids from the home until it can be determined that their environment is safe. I question the sanity of those who stood by in silence now talking up a storm and pointing fingers after the fact.

We cannot bring Zahra Claire Baker back. But we can be accountable to the children in this county, the thousands of other precious and blooming flowers who have a right to live their lives without being tortured and terrorized into deadly silence.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The negilence and lack of caring for Zahra when she was living is appalling. Especially considering how many is coming forward since her death. Stepterror's grown daughter came forward and told of her intense fear of her 'mother.' Cases such as Zahra's death is hard to watch unfold.

TigressPen

J said...

This is absolutely inexcusable in this "civilized" society.

I went through a violent marriage and the neighbors had the wherewithal to complain about the violence...to the landlord but never the police. I was the only one who ever called the police. Not that it ever helped.

Regardless of my situation, how can anyone with a brain or morals NOT report this...or any violence or abuse? I don't get it...at all.

It is our responsibility as neighbors and a community to do what is right...not turn our heads and pretend it isn't happening.

Confederate Starz Artist Management said...

It is beyond sad what is happening to our children and others in the world we live in today. Personally I have the attitude that if something doesn't look right there's a good chance it isn't. I am usually the one in a crowd that others say... "Why are you getting involved?" I get involved because I would never forgive myself if I didn't and then found out I could have made a difference in someone's life. I have seen throughout many of the responses to this that there are many blaming others for not doing something. Yes, if they could have they should have, however not everyone thinks alike nor is a perfect model citizen in everyone's eye all of the time. Yes, something should have been done sooner, there is no doubt. I also believe that because of the news reports and press coverage on so many other cases, sometimes it's the person that try's to help that is crucified by the press and law enforcement until they can prove they were just an innocent citizen that happened to report something to the authorities. It is also possible that they were afraid that by helping someone else they would be inviting CPS or HHS into their homes and they didn't want to be the ones under the microscope or at the head of an investigation they weren't involved in but just took one moment to do something to help.

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