( CNN ) -- Authorities investigating the disappearance of a 10-year-old North Carolina girl have recovered `` evidence that could provide valuable information '' in the case , police said Thursday . The evidence was located Wednesday , Hickory , North Carolina , police said in a statement , and will be analyzed at the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation 's lab . Police launched a search for Zahra Baker October 9 , but said no one other than a family member has reported seeing her since September 25 , when a woman saw her at a furniture store . Police did not elaborate or say what the evidence is . `` We understand the concern and interest in this case by the public , but we must be cautious in prematurely releasing information , so it will not jeopardize any future criminal proceedings , '' police said . Authorities said earlier this month a bone that might be related to the case was found . They also previously found a prosthetic leg belonging to Zahra , whose disappearance is being investigated as a homicide . Elisa Baker , Zahra 's stepmother , is jailed on charges unrelated to the girl 's disappearance , as well as an obstruction of justice charge related to the case after she admitted to writing a fake ransom note found at the family 's home . Elisa Baker has said said she did not know what happened to Zahra , a freckle-faced girl who lost her leg to bone cancer at age 5 and reportedly developed lung cancer a few years later . Zahra 's father , Adam Baker , was arrested late last month in nearby Catawba County on eight charges , including five counts of submitting worthless checks and three counts of failing to appear in court . Police earlier acknowledged that Adam Baker faced bad-check charges unrelated to the disappearance of his daughter . But they did not initially arrest him , as he had been helping authorities in their search . Zahra 's biological mother , Emily Dietrich , is coming to North Carolina from Australia , CNN affiliate WSOC reported . She could arrive sometime Thursday . Last week , Dietrich told Australia 's Seven Network that she had little hope of seeing Zahra alive again , according to WSOC . Dietrich has not had contact with her daughter since Zahra was an infant . Meanwhile , the Children 's Protection Council of Catawba County said it will hold a candlelight vigil in honor of Zahra on Tuesday , her birthday . Toys or stuffed animals left at the vigil will be donated to the Cops for Tots organization , the group said in a statement .
NEW : Biological family of two is arriving from Canada . A vigil is planned next week on Zahra 's birthday . The year - old 's disappearance is being investigated as a homicide . The girl 's father is charged with obstruction of justice .