Zahra's playground is now a reality | News

HICKORY, NC (WBTV) -- A community's heartache over the murder of a little girl was turned into something Saturday that will help thousands of other children.

A playground in memory of Zahra Baker was dedicated after months of work and thousands of dollars in donations. The goal was to raise $75,000 and the community tripled that amount.

The playground is accessible to children with special needs. It has swings to accommodate wheelchairs and other equipment to provide access for all children.

"It's an escape for her," said Melissa Hicks, the mother of 8-year-old Rose. Rose is confined to a wheelchair and her face lit up on the special swing.

"If we take her to a typical playground, there's nothing she can do." said her mother. Rose clearly enjoyed herself on the swing.

Zahra was ten years old when she was killed by her mother in 2010. Zahra had survived cancer and lived with a prosthetic leg and used hearing aides.

Her stepmother, Elisa Baker, was convicted of the crime. She had been accused of writing a fake ransom note and throwing off the police investigation after scattering Zahra's remains across two counties.

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