Tragic End for 10-Year-Old Rebekah Baptiste
Only three days before her d**th, 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste made one final attempt to escape the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father, Richard Baptiste, 32, and his girlfriend, Anicia Woods, 29. A chilling 911 call now sheds light on her desperate last moments.
On July 27, Apache County deputies found Rebekah unresponsive on a highway in Holbrook, northern Arizona. She suffered severe injuries. Three days later, she d**d at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Life in Isolation
According to a 36-page Navajo County report reviewed by Fox News, Rebekah’s family had moved off-grid into a yurt earlier that month. They had no electricity or running water, slept on thin mattresses, and carried water 15 miles from the store.
Rebekah had a history of escape attempts. She previously jumped from a window in Phoenix and continued trying to flee after the family moved to Concho. Her final attempt occurred on the day she was hospitalized.
Evidence of T*rtu.re
Despite Rebekah’s declining condition — she became too weak to drink from a straw — Woods, claiming a nursing background, refused to seek medical help.
Doctors discovered prolonged abuse: brain hemo**hage, burn marks, missing t*enails and hair, c*ts, and br**ses. One physician described her treatment as “t**ture.”
When confronted, Baptiste initially denied harming her head, later admitting only to hitting her with a belt for running away. Investigators also found bl0*dy clothing in the family’s tent.
A**ests and Charges
Both Baptiste and Woods face first-degree m*rder, kid**pping, and three counts of child ab*se. Two charges relate to alleged ab*se of Rebekah’s younger brothers, now in state custody.
Failed Systemic Oversight
Rebekah’s uncle, Damon Hawkins, revealed repeated attempts to alert the Department of Child Safety (DCS). Calls went unanswered or ignored.
“She was black and blue from head to toe,” Hawkins said. “DCS turned a blind eye. They failed her.”
School staff reported concerns about Rebekah and her brothers to DCS 12 times between November 2023 and January 2025. Yet DCS records show only five calls, with one qualifying for investigation.
Hawkins added, “The system failed her repeatedly. She spent her last days in the hospital alone while DCS offered nothing but apologies for communication lapses.”
The Chilling 911 Call
The 911 call captures Rebekah’s dire condition moments before paramedics arrived.
“She ran away for the third time in a week,” the caller said. “She’s unresponsive, unconscious, and unable to breathe for herself.”
Despite attempting CPR, help came too late. Sirens can be heard as paramedics rush to the scene.
Family’s Heartbreak
Hawkins posted on Facebook:
“You didn’t deserve any of this… I will forever miss you, my peanut. I am so sorry I couldn’t protect you from those evil m**sters.”
The case highlights urgent questions about child protection and whether systemic reforms can prevent similar tragedies.
