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10-year-old girl dies after she was ‘tortured’ by her father and his longtime girlfriend, doctors say
HOLBROOK, ARIZONA, AUG 5 – Rebekah Baptiste endured prolonged starvation, physical abuse, and neglect despite 12 reports to authorities, highlighting systemic failures before her death at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
- Authorities say a 10-year-old girl, Rebekah Baptiste, died three days after being found unresponsive at Highway 77 and 180, following alleged torture by her father and his longtime girlfriend.
- Over the past year, Empower College Prep reported suspected abuse 12 times, despite years of warnings including allegations of sexual abuse about 18 months ago, to the Department of Child Safety.
- During a court appearance on Monday, prosecutors said her injuries suggested ‘child physical abuse, sexual abuse and torture’, including missing toenails, bruises, and starvation.
- A judge set Richard Baptiste and Anicia Woods' bonds at $1 million on Monday, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for September 4 in Apache County.
- Many are calling for reforms to child protection procedures as community members and child safety advocates demand accountability for systemic failures in preventing this tragedy.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Father charged with murdering 10-year-old girl found on Arizona highway
ST. JOHNS, Ariz. (Scripps News Phoenix) — The father of 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste appeared in Apache County court Monday. Richard Baptiste, along with Anicia Woods, was arrested in connection with the girl’s death. In court, prosecutors allege Rebekah was subject to “horrendous conditions” and had bruising up and down her body. Photo of Rebekah Baptiste. (Scripps News Phoenix) Police in Holbrook, Arizona, initially responded to Highway 77 and…
A man and his companion were charged with murder after the discovery, on July 27, 2025, of a 10-year-old girl seriously injured near Holbrook, Arizona. The child, left unconscious at the edge of a...
10-Year-Old Found ‘Black and Blue’ on Highway with Toenails Removed
An Arizona man and woman have been charged with murder after police found a 10-year-old girl unresponsive on a Holbrook highway. According to the Apache County Sheriff’s Office, Holbrook police discovered Rebekah Baptiste between Highway 77 and 180, near Arizona, last month. Despite life-saving measures, she passed away days later, on July 30, at Phoenix Children’s hospital. Police subsequently arrested her father, Richard Baptiste, 32, and his …
Arizona Town Shattered as 10 Year Old Girl Dies Amid Abuse Allegations
An Arizona community is reeling after a 10-year-old girl’s life was cut short in a horrifying case that police say involves abuse, torture, and neglect. On July 27, police in Holbrook, Arizona, found little Rebekah Baptiste unresponsive at the intersection of two highways. Authorities say she was rushed to a medical facility, but just three days later, on July 30, she was gone. According to Apache County Sheriff’s Office reports, her father, 32-…
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