Newly released police documents have provided additional insights into the tragic final weeks of 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste’s life, uncovering unsettling accusations of increasing abuse and numerous efforts to escape her living conditions.
The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office compiled a 36-page report detailing interviews conducted with her father, Richard Baptiste, and his girlfriend, Anicia Woods, after Rebekah was found unresponsive 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.
According to detectives, the family had been residing off-grid at a rural campsite near Concho, Arizona, living in a yurt without modern utilities such as electricity or running water, following their move from Phoenix earlier that month.
The family slept on thin mattresses on the yurt floor and hauled water in plastic jugs from a Concho convenience store 15 miles away.
Initially, Woods claimed that a neighbor discovered Rebekah unresponsive after an attempt to run away. However, authorities pointed out that this wasn’t Rebekah’s first attempt to flee.
Documents reveal that Rebekah had previously leapt from a window in Phoenix and made several other escape attempts since their relocation to Concho, with the final attempt occurring on the day she was hospitalized.
Although Rebekah’s condition visibly worsened, becoming so weak that she couldn’t drink from a straw, Woods, who asserted she had nursing experience, informed authorities that she believed the child “would be fine” and opted not to seek immediate medical intervention.
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.
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.
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.
