The stepmother of a disabled 10-year-old girl, whose remains were found scattered across her home state, has pleaded guilty to murder.Elisa Baker, 42, could spend up to 18 years behind bars after admitting second-degree murder in the death of the child as part of a plea deal. Baker also pleaded guilty to attempting to thwart investigators by planting a fake ransom note at the family home.
The deal comes nearly a year after the Australian girl was reported missing from her home in the western North Carolina town of Hickory.
The disappearance of the freckle-faced girl captivated communities both in the US and in Australia. Zahra's father had moved to the United States to marry Elisa after the two met online.
Zahra had a prosthetic leg after losing her limb aged five, and wore two hearing aids after an early battle with bone cancer.
The child's head, hands and parts of her arms and legs have never been found, the court heard on Thursday.Her prosthetic leg was discovered during a mammoth search for her remains that spanned three counties.
Shocking death: 10-year-old Zahra Baker disappeared in North Carolina in October 2010, sparking a massive search. Her stepmother Elisa Baker has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and dismemberment of the child's body
Plea deal: Stepmother Elisa Baker will serve up to 18 years after pleading guilty of second-degree-murder in the death of little Zahra. She also admitted forging a ransom note
Cruel stepmother: Elisa Baker had a history of physical and emotional abuse of stepdaughter Zahra before the murder, according to relatives.
For the first time, police said they think Zahra died on Sept. 24, 2010, weeks before Elisa and Adam Baker originally reported her missing. 
only 18 years?
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