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Published 12:41 01 Jan 2026 GMT
A heartbreaking case out of Arizona has revealed how a 10-year-old girl desperately tried to escape abuse months before she was allegedly tortured to death by the very people meant to protect her.
Rebekah Baptiste was just nine years old when she jumped from a second-floor apartment window in Phoenix in October 2024, running to strangers for help and telling them she was being abused at home. Less than a year later, she would be found beaten, starving and dying on the side of a highway.
Rebekah was discovered in July 2025 near Holbrook, Arizona, after years of alleged physical abuse and neglect. She later died in hospital from what officials described as non-accidental trauma.
Her father, 32-year-old Richard Baptiste, and his girlfriend, 29-year-old Anicia Woods, have since been arrested and charged with her murder, along with multiple other serious offences.
According to AZ Family, Rebekah’s earlier escape saw her approach a homeless person and a gas station employee, telling them her stepmother was hurting her. She was taken to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where police and the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) became involved.
In a police report obtained by ABC 15, Rebekah told officers she ran away after being punished by Woods, who she said made her run laps and struck her hands with a brush. Officers noted faint bruising and marks on both hands, as well as red marks on her feet, which the child said were caused by being hit with a belt.
“It has happened a lot,” Rebekah reportedly told officers.
Woods denied the allegations, claiming Rebekah had injured herself. DCS investigators told police they were aware of multiple past reports accusing Woods of abuse, but said conflicting accounts and a lack of witnesses meant the case did not meet the threshold for criminal charges. The case was closed a month later.
A DCS report later confirmed that Rebekah had been the subject of at least 12 separate reports over the years raising concerns about her safety.
In early July 2025, the family moved to a remote yurt in Apache County. On July 27, Rebekah was found unresponsive on the side of a highway. Authorities described her injuries as severe and widespread.
“She had bruises from head to toe,” Deputy Kole Soderquist testified, per AZ Family. “There were injuries to her vaginal and anus area. She had damaged, missing toenails and burn marks on her back.”
Rebekah died three days later. One doctor described her condition as consistent with torture.
When police searched the family’s living space, they described a disturbing scene, including bloodied paper towels and clumps of hair in a trash can. Baptiste and Woods allegedly admitted to physically disciplining the child.
Rebekah’s uncle, Damon Hawkins, said the system failed his niece. He told AZ Family that he and his wife repeatedly raised concerns with DCS and were often prevented from seeing Rebekah and her younger brothers.
“I made it clear that the system failed her,” he said. “We warned them. We have logs of how many times we reached out.”
Both suspects are due back in court in January, with a trial scheduled for June.
