YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Rebekah Baptiste was found with signs of severe torture, burn marks and signs of abuse on her genitalia in July
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Her father and mother were charged with murder in connection with her murder
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Months earlier, she allegedly tried to run away from her home, according to published reports
A murdered Arizona boy who was found unresponsive on a highway in July had tried to run away from her allegedly abusive home just months earlier, according to newly released reports.
Rebekah Baptiste, 10, died on July 30, three days after she was found unresponsive by Holbrook, Ariz. police at the intersection of two highways, according to the Apache County Sheriff’s Office, AZ Family, ABC 15 and 12 News reported at the time.
Her father Richard Baptiste and mother Anicia Woods were arrested in connection with Rebekah’s death.
Apache County Sheriff’s Office
Anicia Woods (left); and Richard Baptiste.
Authorities said their investigation soon found a documented history of alleged violence toward Rebekah in the family home, but children’s services allegedly failed to take any action.
During one such case, in October 2024, Rebekah, who was 9 years old at the time, jumped out of the second floor window of her residence, ran to a nearby gas station and called for help, alleging to a manager that she was being abused by her mother, AZ Family and FOX 10 Phoenix reported this week, citing authorities.
When authorities responded to the incident, Richard and Woods allegedly told them her injuries were self-inflicted, according to police records cited by FOX 10 Phoenix.
She returned to their custody.
Less than a year later, she was found unresponsive on the highway, her toenails removed and showing signs of severe torture, prosecutors said in court in August, AZ Family and ABC 15 reported at the time. She was severely malnourished, according to authorities.
“She had bruises from head to toe. There were injuries in her vaginal and anal area,” said Kole Soderquist of the Apache County Sheriff’s Office in court in September, per Family AZ.
Rebekah’s school had contacted child services 12 times before she was killed, but the calls did not result in any meaningful actions, AZ Family previously reported.
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Apache County Sheriff’s Office
Rebekah Baptiste.
Richard and Woods have each been charged with murder and multiple counts of child molestation and child abuse, according to online court records reviewed by PEOPLE.
Online records did not indicate a reason or attorney information for either.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “POWER” to Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
Read the original article on People