Zahra Baker's Stepmother Faces 18 Years, Parents Plead for Girl's Skull

A North Carolina woman Elisa Baker on Thursday pleaded guilty to murdering her disabled 10-year-old stepdaughter Zahra Baker and is now facing up to 18 years in prison.

Elisa Baker, 43, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, with aggravating factors that included desecrating the girl's body to hide her crime.

CBS affiliate WBTV reported that the plea deal reveals details about the case that was previously unknown. These details include that when Zahra Baker died Elisa Baker helped police to find the North Carolina girl's body. However, this was 58 searches that spanned nearly two weeks.

Parts of Zahra Baker's body were found in several sites around Hickory, N.C. some months after her disappearance was reported.

Investigators have said Zahra Baker's armbone, prosthetic leg, torso and pelvic area were found, but the girl's head and other body parts weren't.

Authorities also found a saw they believe was used to dismember Zahra Baker.

Now the biological parents of the girl are begging for Elisa Baker to tell them where to find the rest of their child's remains.

I feel there will be no real justice for Zahra, Emily Deitrich, the girl's biological mother who traveled from Australia to see Elisa Baker's sentencing, told ABC News. Her life was taken by an evil selfishness ... Part of Zahra is still out there... What I truly want to see is Zahra be given the dignity and respect she deserves.

If at any time you actually cared for Zahra, please tell us where we can find any more of Zahra's remains so she can be laid to rest, Zahra's father and Elisa Baker's husband, Adam Baker also told ABC News.

In her short life Zahra Baker lost a leg and much of her hearing because of bone cancer.

According to reports relatives and friends have said the girl was abused by her stepmother.

But there are still unanswered question in the case, as it is still unknown why Zahra Baker was killed.

According to The Associated Press, Capt. Thurmond Whisnant, an investigator with the Hickory Police Department, said Elisa Baker told him the girl died Sept 24.

Elisa Baker told police Zahra Baker was sick that day and went to bed shortly after eating that afternoon. The stepmother she checked on Zahra Baker about an hour later but the girl was unresponsive.

Elisa Baker said she tried to revive the girl but failed.

The AP also reported that Elisa Baker had claimed Adam Baker dismembered his daughter's body and disposed it in white trash bags. However, Whisnant said that was a lie, as investigators found proof that Adam Baker was working that morning with another man on a landscaping project.