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Editor’s note: The following story contains graphic descriptions.
Recently released police documents have shed new light on the final weeks of 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste’s life, revealing disturbing allegations of escalating abuse and multiple attempts to flee her living situation.
The 36-page report from the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office outlines interviews with her father, Richard Baptiste, and his girlfriend, Anicia Woods, following the discovery of the unresponsive child on July 27.
Rebekah was later pronounced dead three days later at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Both adults are now facing charges of first-degree murder.
Detectives say the family had been living off-grid in a rural campsite near Concho, Arizona, in a yurt without electricity or running water since relocating from Phoenix earlier in July. The family slept on thin mattresses on the yurt floor and hauled water in plastic jugs from a Concho convenience store 15 miles away.
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Woods initially claimed a neighbor found Rebekah unresponsive after she had run away. However, law enforcement noted this was not the first time the child had attempted to escape.
Records indicate Rebekah had previously jumped out of a window in Phoenix and made several other escape attempts after the move to Concho, the final one occurring on the day she was taken to the hospital.
Despite Rebekah’s visible deterioration, including being too weak to drink from a straw, Woods, who claimed she had a background in nursing, told authorities she believed the child “would be fine” and chose not to seek immediate medical help.
When questioned, both Woods and Baptiste initially denied knowledge of what caused the child’s condition, suggesting she may have been injured in a fall.
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However, medical professionals found extensive signs of physical abuse, including a brain hemorrhage, burn marks, missing toenails and hair, and numerous cuts and bruises.
When shown “horrendous photos” of his daughter’s injuries, Baptiste “lacked in expressing any emotion,” one detective wrote in the probable‑cause affidavit.
“After seeing these photos, I knew there would be no way a father would not notice the extensive injuries on his daughter, it would be impossible in my mind, for a father not to see these huge marks and bruises on his child,” the comment read.
According to police, Baptiste later confessed to striking his daughter with a belt as punishment for running away, but denied causing the head injuries. Authorities also discovered bloody clothing in the tent the family shared, which had been changed before emergency services were contacted.
Fox News Digital reviewed the three 911 calls made by Woods on July 27. In the calls, Woods referred to Rebekah as her daughter and claimed she was providing rescue breaths, though her tone lacked urgency.
In one call, she told the dispatcher they were driving toward Holbrook, believing there was an EMS station there. The dispatcher instructed her to pull over, so medics could reach them.
When asked if CPR was being administered, Woods said she was breathing into Rebekah’s mouth but had not begun chest compressions. The dispatcher asked her to place the child on firm ground, but Woods hesitated, noting she was unsure about laying her on the rocks.
Emergency crews arrived shortly afterward, but Rebekah did not survive her injuries.
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Both Woods and Baptiste are now facing murder and child abuse charges related not only to Rebekah’s death, but also to the alleged mistreatment of her two younger siblings.
During interviews with investigators, Woods stated that a possible punishment for her might be “some jail time,” while Baptiste expressed remorse, saying he did not deserve to be a father.
Prosecutors have alleged that Rebekah suffered ongoing physical and sexual abuse.
Concerns about the family’s wellbeing had been raised multiple times by staff at Empower College Prep, where the children were enrolled, 12News reported.
School officials reportedly contacted Arizona’s Department of Child Safety (DCS) 13 times over the past two years, including one report from a school resource officer who visited the family’s home following Rebekah’s unexplained absence.
DCS has since launched a review into whether the agency failed to adequately protect the child.
“Anytime a child in our community is harmed, it deeply affects us all, especially when we know the family,” a statement from DCS to Fox News Digital read. “Our dedicated staff work tirelessly to ensure the safety of all children, but tragically, those who intend to harm children can sometimes evade even the most robust systems designed to protect them.”
The department added that it will “continue to be transparent and release information related to this case” as well as their involvement with the family as they are legally permitted to do so.
Gov. Katie Hobbs has also acknowledged the growing public concern and pledged to fully investigate the case.
“First, let me say this is obviously a very tragic situation, and we are certainly looking into what happened,” Hobbs previously told 12News. “The information we had at the agency prior to this case and what led up to her death, we’re certainly going to be investigating, and if there was something that we did not do right, we will do everything we can to correct that. That is our job. It is our responsibility to ensure Arizonans are safe and we’ll fix what went wrong. If that’s the case.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Hobbs’ office and Empower College Prep for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected]
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