911 calls, police report details dark timeline to Arizona girl's tragic death
Share and Follow

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

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.

Richard Baptiste (L) and Anicia Woods (R)

An Arizona couple is facing murder charges after a young girl was found unresponsive on a highway last month and died days later. (Apache County Sheriff’s Office)

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 stepheny.price@fox.com

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

New York City Proposes Tougher Regulations to Address Legionnaires’ Disease Amid Harlem Outbreak Concerns

New York City will launch stricter rules for cooling towers after one…

Suspects lead police on wild chase through LA while carjacking multiple vehicles, including big rig

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A pair of suspects…

Illinois Celebrates 1 Week of Texas Democrats Protesting Redistricting at Saint Sabina Church in Chicago

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team Sunday, August 10, 2025 10:26PM Texas Democrats were…

Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces Attack Camp in North Darfur, Resulting in 40 Deaths

CAIRO — Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces launched attacks Monday in a…

Emergency Response Initiated Following Blast at Pennsylvania Steel Mill

IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site…

Jonathan Bennett Shares Husband Jaymes Vaughan’s Schatzki Ring Diagnosis

Not fetch. Jonathan Bennett, known for his role in “Mean Girls,” shared…

Alaska Airport Staff Member Accused of Using GPS Trackers to Follow Coworkers

An employee who worked at an Alaska airport for four years is…

CDC Shooting Details Reveal Potential for Greater Tragedy

The gunman who initiated the shooting at the CDC in Atlanta tried…