Zahra Baker's family wants her laid to rest in Wagga

By Patrick Wood
Updated November 7 2012 - 2:25pm, first published February 22 2011 - 10:48pm
Zahra Baker
Zahra Baker

The family of Zahra Baker is prepared to fight to have the murdered girl's remains returned to Wagga and buried where she was born.Zahra's great-uncle, Darryl Ross, yesterday said it would be "over his dead body" that his great-niece be put to rest in the US or near the family of her father, Adam Baker.Mr Baker took custody of Zahra after her birth mother, Emily Dietrich, was diagnosed with post-partem depression.A decade of custody battles has followed but Mr Ross said his family was committed to a Wagga burial."The family will definitely step in. She'll be buried in Wagga where she belongs, with her family that loved her," he said.Zahra's great-aunt, Diana Ross, said she expected a legal battle with Mr Baker's family, believed to live in Newcastle, unless US authorities charge him in relation to her death.Zahra's stepmother Elisa Baker was indicted with second-degree murder yesterday but has claimed Mr Baker dismembered the 10-year-old."It all depends on what happens with Adam," Mrs Ross said."We've got a fairly large contingent in Wagga to make (the burial) happen. We're all prepared for a fight," Mr Ross said.He said news of the indictment has done little to quell the anger among Wagga relatives towards Adam Baker, and rather than offer closure it simply raised more questions."I felt like punching the wall (yesterday) morning when I heard the news," he said."Put it this way, the feeling from our side of it is we want (Mr Baker) charged."

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