Arizona Girl Reported Abuse Months Before Fatal Injuries

PHOENIX, Arizona — A police report reveals that a 10-year-old girl reported abuse in her home nine months before she was allegedly tortured to death by her father and stepmother.

Rebekah Baptiste, who was interviewed by police and examined by medical staff at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, ran away from home on October 17, 2024. She sought help at a gas station, where she informed the manager that she was being abused by her stepmother, according to the newly released report.

Police say Baptiste showed signs of serious physical abuse, including bruises on her hands and feet, a bloody lip, and marks on her fingers. She revealed that her parents beat her with brushes and belts, and made her do strenuous exercises as punishment.

“[Rebekah] jumped from a two-story window in an apartment complex. She ran to at least one homeless person asking for help before reaching the QT,” said Kole Soderquist of the Apache County Sheriff’s Office. “She told the manager that she was being abused by her stepmother.”

When police interviewed Baptiste’s parents, they denied abusing her and claimed she was harming herself. Due to conflicting accounts and a lack of witnesses, authorities determined that no criminal charges were warranted at that time.

However, months later, Rebekah was found unconscious and non-responsive, suffering from severe injuries consistent with torture. Prosecutors have since charged her parents, Richard Baptiste and Anicia Woods, with first-degree murder and child abuse.

The Department of Child Safety closed its investigation into Rebekah’s previous reports of abuse in November 2024, citing insufficient evidence.

Advocates and lawmakers have expressed alarm over the case, prompting discussions about potential reforms to Arizona’s child welfare system as the state prepares for its legislative session in 2026.

In her disclosures to the police, Rebekah described troubling interactions with her stepmother. She said Woods punished her by making her run laps and hitting her with a brush. The police report detailed observable bruising on the backs of Baptiste’s hands and feet.

Woods has denied the abuse allegations, claiming Rebekah was self-harming and misunderstood their disciplinary measures.

As the investigation unfolds, both parents face a trial in June 2026. Prosecutors assert that Rebekah endured “horrendous conditions” before her tragic death.