PHOENIX, ARIZONA – A disturbing case of child abuse that slipped through the cracks of state oversight has culminated in tragedy. A 10‑year‑old girl who once leapt from a second‑floor apartment window to escape abuse has now been murdered, allegedly at the hands of her father and his girlfriend, sparking outrage and questions about a system that failed to save her.
Rebekah Baptiste, 10, was found near a highway in Holbrook last July, beaten, starved and sexually assaulted, after enduring years of documented abuse and neglect. She later died in a hospital from non‑accidental trauma.
A Child’s Desperate Attempt To Escape
Nine months before her death, Rebekah made a desperate escape. In October 2024, she jumped from her father’s Phoenix apartment and ran to a homeless individual and a gas station worker, begging for help, according to police reports. Officers brought her to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where faint bruises and marks on her hands and feet were documented. She told officers she had been forced to run laps and was struck with a brush and belt by her father’s girlfriend, Anicia Woods, 29.
Despite the visible injuries, conflicting stories and no third‑party witnesses led to the case being closed the following month. A Department of Child Safety review later revealed at least a dozen reports had been made over the years expressing concerns for Rebekah’s safety.
A Move To Isolation And A Brutal Ending
In early July 2025, Baptiste moved his family from Phoenix to a remote yurt in Apache County. Authorities say the isolation only deepened the danger. On July 27, deputies discovered Rebekah lying alongside a rural highway, unresponsive. She was severely malnourished, covered in bruises from head to toe, missing toenails, and suffering injuries consistent with sexual assault and burns believed to have been caused by cigarettes.
A deputy later testified that paper towels soaked in blood and clumps of hair were found inside the family’s home, indicating prolonged violence and attempts to clean up evidence.
A System That Failed To Intervene
Rebekah’s uncle, Damon Hawkins, said he repeatedly alerted DCS and begged to check on his niece and her brothers, only to be turned away. He called the outcome a preventable tragedy and said he kept detailed records of every effort to warn authorities.
“It should never have reached this point. The system failed her,” Hawkins told AZ Family.
Justice Ahead
Both Baptiste, 32, and Woods, 29, admitted to physically disciplining the child, according to investigators. The pair now face charges of first‑degree murder, aggravated assault, child abuse and kidnapping. They are due back in court in January, with trial scheduled for June.
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