Missing girl's father critical of Tulsa police

TULSA — The father of a 13-year-old girl missing for more than three months criticized the Tulsa Police Department Thursday, saying the force was not interested in finding his daughter due to politics.

Danny Baker, with a self-proclaimed psychic at his side, held a news conference in which police participation was called into question and help in the ongoing search was sought.

"A little 13-year-old girl is dead," the father said angrily.

He went on to say police are "interested in not finding Cori" because of politics and an election year.

Jeff Baker, a self-proclaimed psychic from Colorado who is not related to the family, has helped Cori's family search this week. He read a prepared statement that indicated the family's extreme disappointment in Cori's case and claimed police have "been extremely inactive in the case" and have only "marginally participated in one or two searches" since Cori disappeared Nov. 9.

Prior to the news conference, Det. Sgt. Mike Huff, head of the Tulsa police homicide unit, said he wishes the family the best of luck in their search, but police "have to be concerned with facts, not visions."

He added that "any search for the truth is welcome," and homicide detectives were still actively working on the case.

Huff said police also have to guard "against raising hopes and expectations of the family."

About 25 volunteers searched Tuesday and about 15 on Wednesday primarily in an undeveloped section of the Floral Haven Memorial Gardens in Broken Arrow that runs from overgrown, ragged ground to a tree filled area.

Poor weather Thursday postponed the search until Saturday if the weather permits, Jeff Baker said. Especially sought for the search are dogs, horses and digging equipment.

The same area was searched by police in November along with long stretches of the Arkansas River and other locations using officers on foot, officers on horseback and police helicopters shortly after the girl disappeared in November.

Jeff Baker said the site was chosen after he and her father had a "mediumship" with Cori where she gave details where she was buried.

Without relating those details, Jeff Baker said the man charged with Cori's murder confirmed the site by telephone. Marquis Bullock, 19, is in the Tulsa County Jail charged with first degree murder.

The family has said that if Bullock cooperates in finding Cori they would testify on his behalf for a reduced sentence.

Bullock — who dated Cori's sister — picked her up at the Union Alternative School the afternoon she disappeared.

The Tulsa police have been "of little or no help" while departments in other states have volunteered dogs and horses, Jeff Baker said.

Jeff Baker declined to say if he has any further contact with Bullock since Monday night or any "mediumship" with Cori since Tuesday.

"The case is not about a psychic, it is not about Jeff Baker. It is about a little girl who was murdered and who needs to be brought back to her family," Jeff Baker said.

"The search will continue until we find Cori," Jeff Baker said.