10/22/10 - Investigators Focus on Mattresses in Zahra Baker Case; High Profile Attorney Visits Step
LENOIR (WJRI) Authorities are continuing to search the Foothills Environmental Landfill in Lenoir today in hopes of finding evidence in the case of Zahra Baker. The 10-year-old girl was reported missing nearly two week ago from her home in Hickory. Authorities will not specify what the evidence is that they are searching for, but investigators were looking closely at mattresses that were found in the landfill yesterday
[
link to www.ask4direct.com]
According to published reports, an excavator removed scoops of debris from the landfill for examination by workers dressed in white coveralls and yellow boots. Investigators showed particular interest in mattresses removed from the landfill, but would not confirm that a mattress is the target of their search.
[
link to www.whky.com]
On Thursday, searchers used a track hoe to dig into a 60-yard section of the 40-acre landfill. At one point, they spent about 15 minutes focusing on what appeared to be a mattress. Minutes later, they looked over a second mattress.
Interviews done during the course of the investigation led them to begin searching the landfill, Adkins said. He added that the search will be very methodical and time-intensive and will likely take days.
The landfill takes in trash from nine North Carolina counties: Caldwell, Burke, McDowell, Yadkin, Alleghany, Alexander, Mitchell, Yancey and Watauga. According to a Caldwell County official, about 1,200 tons of garbage is brought in daily.
At the end of each day, an officer or deputy will be posted at the landfill to secure it until searchers return the next day.
[
link to www.wsoctv.com]
United States
