A conflict of interest with the public defender's office has caused another delay in the case involving a Shell Point child who was reported missing from his home 13 years ago.' Paul Baker would have celebrated his 19th birthday
June 29. He's been missing since March 1987 when he disappeared from his bedroom in his family's Beaufort County home.' His disappearance led to an extensive local search and, later, a national search.' Paul's father and
stepmother, James and Susan Baker, face charges of child neglect. Though the charges are more than 13 years old, the case has yet to come to trial.' The conflict of interest arose because the primary investigator on the case at the time
is now employed as an investigator with the Beaufort County Public Defender's office. Gene Hood, chief public defender, filed the motion to have new counsel appointed.' The Bakers were both represented by attorneys in the public
defender's office.' The charges of child neglect came from an investigation in a "cold case" file. Leads in the case were obtained by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and the State Law
Enforcement Division participating in the investigation.' The Bakers were arrested in June 2000 and brought to Beaufort from Florida.' At the time of the disappearance, James Baker was a Marine stationed at the Marine Corps Air
Station. Susan Baker told police she put the child down for a nap and awoke later to find him missing.' The case was active for years, according to officials, but Paul Baker was never found.' Assistant Solicitor Duffie Stone said
the two recently got new lawyers, but he doesn't expect the case to move to trial any time soon. The defense attorneys will have to investigate the case and possibly file new motions.' "That obviously postpones the trial," Stone said.
"From their standpoint, I don't know what their motions might be."' Susan Baker's attorney, Alysoun Eversole, said she isn't sure when the case will go to trial. She was appointed to the case after the conflict came up.' "I don't
know enough about the case to bring it to trial," Eversole said. "I just got the case."' Ehrick Haight, a Hilton Head Island lawyer appointed to represent James Baker, could not be reached for comment Friday.
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