The tragic story of a young Arizona girl, who allegedly suffered abuse at the hands of her father and stepmother, has taken a heartbreaking turn. Before her untimely death, the 10-year-old, identified as Rebekah Baptiste, reportedly sought refuge from her turbulent home life by running away to plead for help.

Her father, Richard Baptiste, along with his girlfriend, Anicia Woods, now face serious charges including first-degree murder, child abuse, and child molestation. These charges came in the wake of Rebekah’s death on July 28, 2025, which occurred just one day after the couple brought her in an unresponsive state to a rural medical facility in Arizona’s Apache County. Medical professionals determined the cause of death as “non-accidental trauma,” leading to the swift arrest of Baptiste and Woods following the tragic incident.

Recently, the Phoenix Police Department shared a report from October 2024, offering a glimpse into Rebekah’s desperate bid for safety several months prior to her death. This report, highlighted by Law&Crime, detailed how the young girl had tried to escape her home on multiple occasions, seeking assistance from strangers after fleeing.

The distressing events of October 2024 are elaborated upon in court documents that indicate Rebekah frequently “ran away” according to accounts by Baptiste and Woods. Further insight into this incident was provided by a police report released to local media outlets by the Phoenix Police Department.

According to local CBS affiliate KPHO, an incident on October 17, 2024, involved police responding to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Rebekah had reached out for help at a gas station, informing the clerk of the abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepmother. She claimed that Woods had struck her on her hands and feet with a brush, prompting her to seek refuge. This account paints a haunting picture of the abuse Rebekah endured before her life was tragically cut short.

During a court hearing in September 2025, Apache County Sheriff’s Office investigator Kole Soderquist testified that Rebekah had jumped out of a second-story window to escape the home. Before she arrived at the gas station, she found a homeless person and asked them for help, Soderquist said. When authorities questioned Baptiste and Woods, they said Rebekah’s injuries were self-inflicted. The investigation into Rebekah’s accusations of child abuse were closed.

Law&Crime previously reported that teachers alerted authorities to potential child abuse against Rebekah and her two siblings several times before the girl died. The two other children reportedly changed their stories to protect Baptiste and Woods, according to prosecutors. All the children complained to teachers that Baptiste and Woods would allegedly punish them with “physical discipline of laps and planks, and not being fed.” The teachers noticed visible “marks, scratches, or bruises” on all the children.

At the time of their arrest, Baptiste and Woods were being investigated for an alleged incident in May 2025.

Baptiste and Woods are both charged with first-degree murder, child abuse, and child molestation. They are currently awaiting trial in Apache County.