Southwest
Girl begged for help months before alleged killing by father, girlfriend — earlier abuse case closed: report
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Newly released police records show that 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste pleaded for help months before she was allegedly killed by her father and his girlfriend in Arizona, revealing an earlier abuse report that was closed despite documented injuries.
According to FOX 10 Phoenix, a Phoenix police report details a 911 call made from a local gas station in October 2024, roughly nine months before Rebekah was found unresponsive. The report states the child approached a gas station clerk and begged for help, prompting officers to respond.
Police wrote that Rebekah told officers her father’s girlfriend, Anicia Woods, had hit her with a brush and a belt as punishment and forced her to run laps and endure other physical discipline for “acting out,” the outlet reported. Officers documented visible injuries, and Rebekah was taken to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where she was treated for a bloody lip and bruising on her hands and feet, according to the report.
Despite the child’s statements and her injuries, investigators closed the case after her father, Richard Baptiste, and Woods told police the injuries were self-inflicted, the outlet reported.
911 CALLS, POLICE REPORT DETAILS DARK TIMELINE TO ARIZONA GIRL’S TRAGIC DEATH
A father and girlfriend face murder charges after 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste died from extensive injuries while living off-grid in rural Arizona. (GoFundMe)
Rebekah was later found unresponsive on July 27, 2025, near a remote campsite outside Concho, Arizona, where investigators say the family had been living off-grid in a yurt without electricity or running water after relocating from Phoenix earlier that month. The family slept on thin mattresses on the floor and hauled water in plastic jugs from a convenience store roughly 15 miles away, according to investigators.
A 36-page probable-cause affidavit from the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office detailed what detectives described as escalating abuse and repeated attempts by Rebekah to flee. Records show the girl had previously jumped out of a window while living in Phoenix and made multiple escape attempts after the move to Concho, including the day she was taken to the hospital.
Despite Rebekah’s visible physical decline, including being too weak to drink from a straw, Woods, who claimed to have a background in nursing, told investigators she believed the girl “would be fine” and did not seek immediate medical care.
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An Arizona couple is facing murder charges after a young girl was found unresponsive on a highway and died days later. (Apache County Sheriff’s Office)
When first questioned, both Woods and Baptiste denied knowing what caused Rebekah’s condition, suggesting she may have fallen. Medical professionals later found extensive signs of abuse, including a brain hemorrhage, burn marks, missing toenails and hair, and numerous cuts and bruises, according to investigators.
Previously reviewed 911 calls from July 27 show Woods referring to Rebekah as her daughter and claiming she was providing rescue breaths, though dispatchers noted she had not begun chest compressions and hesitated to place the child on firm ground, citing nearby rocks. Emergency crews later arrived, but Rebekah did not survive her injuries and was pronounced dead days later at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Investigators wrote that when Baptiste was shown what one detective described as “horrendous photos” of his daughter’s injuries, he “lacked in expressing any emotion.” The detective added it would have been impossible for a parent not to notice the extent of the child’s injuries.
CHARGE AGAINST MELODEE BUZZARD’S MOM DISMISSED, ANKLE MONITOR REMOVED AS FBI HUNTS FOR MISSING 9-YEAR-OLD
Authorities say Baptiste later admitted to striking Rebekah with a belt as punishment for running away, though he denied causing her head injuries. Detectives also reported finding bloody clothing inside the family’s tent that had been changed before emergency services were contacted.
Both Baptiste and Woods are now facing first-degree murder and multiple child abuse charges, including allegations involving Rebekah’s two younger siblings. Prosecutors have also alleged Rebekah suffered ongoing physical and sexual abuse.
Concerns about the children’s safety had been raised repeatedly before Rebekah’s death. School officials at Empower College Prep reportedly contacted Arizona’s Department of Child Safety (DCS) at least 12 times over two years, including after Rebekah’s unexplained absence from school, according to prior reporting.
MISSING ‘AT-RISK’ GIRL MELODEE BUZZARD’S MOM APPEARS IN COURT AFTER ALLEGED BOX-CUTTER STANDOFF
A memorial plaque for Rebekah Baptiste marks a planted tree in her memory at an outdoor garden, dated Dec. 20, 2014, to July 30, 2025. (Empower College Prep Elementary)
Rebekah was remembered by the school, where she attended for two years, in a tribute posted on its Facebook page the day after Christmas. School officials described her as intelligent, compassionate and a natural leader, noting she earned the Star Wolfpack award for exemplifying the school’s core values.
In her honor, the school planted a tree with pink flowers, surrounded by a rock garden made from stones created by staff and students, and displayed a decorative crane donated by a staff member. The school said the tributes allow students and staff to remember her life each day.
DCS has since launched a review into whether the agency failed to adequately protect the child. Gov. Katie Hobbs has also pledged to fully investigate the case amid growing public scrutiny.
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State Sen. Carine Werner has cited Rebekah’s case as part of a broader failure within Arizona’s child protection system, calling the deaths of three children with prior DCS contact a “wake-up call.”
Werner said a September stakeholder meeting, part of a multiphase review process, included testimony from families, tribal representatives and child welfare experts as lawmakers weigh possible reforms.
Fox News Digital reached out to DCS and Phoenix police.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
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Loved ones are devastated after a 37-year-old man was attacked by a dog and stabbed to death by several men on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The unprovoked attack happened on May 20 as Berry Henderson, 37, was standing at a bus stop near Hollywood Boulevard and Las Palmas Avenue around 3 p.m.
Surveillance video showed Henderson running into the street as a dog was seen chasing him and aggressively biting him.
Henderson managed to pull out a knife and stabbed the dog to defend himself. That’s when a group of four men, one of whom was the dog’s owner, rushed over to attack Henderson. A suspect who was armed with a machete was seen stabbing and punching Henderson.
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A group of four men stabbed and punched Barry Henderson after he stabbed the attacking dog in defense on May 20, 2026. (Henderson Family) -
Berry Henderson, 37, tried to escape the area from his attackers who quickly cornered him again on May 20, 2026. (Henderson Family) -
Loved ones held a candelight vigil at the crime scene on the Hollywood Walk Fame to honor Berry Henderson on May 29, 2026. (KTLA) -
Berry Henderson, 37, is seen in a family photo. -
Berry Henderson, 37, is seen in a family photo. -
The victim’s cousin, Demeya Brewer, speaks with KTLA at a candlelight vigil in Hollywood on May 29, 2026. (KTLA) -
Surveillance video showed Berry Henderson, 37, running into the street as a violent dog was seen chasing him and aggressively biting him near Hollywood Boulevard and Las Palmas Avenue in Hollywood on May 20, 2026. (Henderson Family)
The victim’s cousin, Sharon Grimes, said she was stunned that no bystanders acted to help Henderson.
“People around weren’t doing anything,” she said. “I didn’t see anybody try to come to his rescue, with all that blood. Nobody picked up the phone.”
“That’s what makes it so shocking,” said Najee Ali, a community activist. “That someone could actually be stabbed to death, beaten and bit by a dog in broad daylight with no one helping.”
Henderson, who was critically injured, stumbled across the street while trying to escape the attackers, but the men quickly came after him again.
“He was running away,” said Demeya Brewer, the victim’s cousin. “He was down on the ground, running away and they still continued to attack him.”
Henderson, who had suffered multiple stab wounds, died from his injuries at the hospital.
Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to the scene and were able to locate and arrest three suspects. The fourth male suspect managed to escape.
On Friday night, Henderson’s family gathered at the scene for a candlelight vigil to honor Henderson, who was a student at a local trade school. Family members said he was a peaceful man who was loved by his friends and community.
“My cousin was not a threat to anyone,” Brewer said. “This was his area, his neighborhood. Business owners knew him. We need more love and peace.”
Henderson’s family believes there are witnesses who likely know where the fourth suspect is hiding. They’re asking anyone with information on the case to call the LAPD at 213-382-9470.
A man suspected of repeatedly shooting at other vehicles while driving on the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles County was arrested on May 29, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP pulled over the suspected shooter, Martin Moreno-Pacheco, in South Los Angeles at about 3:40 a.m. Friday. Prior to his arrest, CHP officers suspected that Moreno-Pacheco was connected to multiple freeway shootings in recent days.
On May 26, a driver reported a car-to-car shooting, which they said happened on the 405 Freeway near Wilmington Avenue on May 23. The victim told investigators that the person responsible for the shooting was driving a black pickup truck.
“The victim reported an unprovoked shooting occurred, resulting in damage to the victim’s vehicle,” CHP said.
On May 28, at about 5:30 a.m., another car-to-car shooting was reported on the 405 Freeway south of Vermont Avenue. The victim told investigators that their car was damaged in a shooting committed by someone in a black pickup.
“Based on the investigation conducted, both incidents, as well as a third incident, which occurred on May 22, 2026, were determined to be committed by the same individual,” CHP said.
Moreno-Pacheco was found and arrested a week later. Upon searching Moreno-Pacheco’s truck, CHP officers found a loaded BB gun inside the truck’s passenger compartment.
No one was injured in the shootings, CHP said. CHP is asking any additional witnesses or victims of the alleged crimes to contact Officer C. Ortega at the CHP South Los Angeles Area office at (424) 551-4000.
Three rescued California sea lion pups were released back into the Pacific Ocean in Manhattan Beach Friday morning after weeks of rehabilitation for malnutrition, dehydration and other health issues. The public release event took place on the north side of the Manhattan Beach Pier and was hosted by the Marine Mammal Care Center, Los Angeles […]
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