Rebekah Baptiste: DCS gives timeline of reports made before girl's death

PHOENIX - The Arizona Department of Child Safety released information on the reports it said it took in the case of Rebekah Baptiste before her death on July 30 of this year.

The final report was on July 27 when Rebekah was brought to the hospital by first responders after being found unresponsive near a wash in Apache County. Doctors confirmed her injuries weren't accidental, and she died three days later.

Rebekah's siblings were placed in a licensed foster home.

On July 29, the children's father and his girlfriend, Richard Baptiste and Anicia Woods, were arrested in connection with Rebekah's death.

The reports made to DCS date back to 2015.

What they're saying:

DCS says it's working with law enforcement to "ensure that those who committed this heinous act are held fully accountable."

"In addition, the Department contracts with a third party, Collaborative Safety, who are national experts in identifying systemic improvements following child fatalities in the child welfare system. Along with Collaborative Safety, and with support from the National Partnership for Child Safety, our Safety Analysis Review Team, conducts an independent review, following the process outlined in ARS 8-469, to analyze cases that involve a death or a near death due to abuse or neglect. The team is conducting a review of Rebekah’s case to determine what factors may have affected the outcome of this case," DCS said.

The agency acknowledges that several calls were made to DCS regarding the Baptiste family, and that some of the calls didn't meet the legal threshold to remove the kids from the home. It says it must follow Arizona laws and codes, meaning that it couldn't investigate each call.

"Like law enforcement agencies, DCS must have strong evidence before taking a child from their home. For example, law enforcement agencies investigated the Baptiste family at least five times, according to the Phoenix Police Department, yet no arrests for child abuse or neglect were ever made. The reason for this is because there was not sufficient evidence to support the allegations. Likewise, DCS investigated the Baptiste family multiple times, however, there was not sufficient evidence to support removing the children in most of the cases," DCS said.

It said when responding to an allegation of abuse or neglect, the department has to determine if the child is in "present danger." It describes present danger as something that's observable, out of control and happening at the present moment.

"The immediate intervention could be one of several options to control the safety threat, with removal being the last and most extreme option. If the child is not in present danger, the Department, through its investigation, determines if the child is in impending danger. This means they are likely to be unsafe again in the near future without intervention. Again, removal is the last option to control for the safety threat," DCS explained.

The agency says Arizona law allows DCS to take custody of a child for up to 72 hours when "probable cause exists to believe that temporary custody is clearly necessary to protect the child from suffering abuse or neglect and it is contrary to the child's welfare to remain in the home, and requires court approval either before taking custody or shortly after when exigent circumstances exist."

Read more about Rebekah's case:

• Rebekah Baptiste: Girl spent last month of her life in remote part of Arizona
• Rebekah Baptiste: Reports of abuse reportedly made to DCS years before Arizona girl's death
• 'I'm breathing for her now': 911 call released before death of Rebekah Baptiste

Timeline:

The following recounts of the reports are from DCS, verbatim.

1. On August 29, 2015, the Department received a report alleging neglect to Rebekah Baptiste by her mother and father, Mr. Baptiste. The report alleged concerns about the condition of the home, as well as possible drug use from parents. The investigator assessed Rebekah in her home and determined she was not in present or imminent danger. The DCS investigation did not find evidence to support the allegation. The allegation was unsubstantiated. The case was still open when a second report came in on May 5, 2016.
2. On May 5, 2016, the Department received a report alleging neglect to Rebekah Baptiste by her mother and father, Mr. Baptiste. The report alleged Rebekah had severe diaper rash and an ear infection that was not being addressed.. The investigator assessed the child in her home and determined she was not in present or imminent danger. The DCS investigation did not find evidence to support the allegation. The allegation was unsubstantiated. The family was referred to Building Resilient Families and the case was closed on May 12, 2016.
3. On October 31, 2017, the Department received a report alleging neglect to a child by their mother and father, Mr. Baptiste. The report alleged that a 10-month-old child was being left alone for several hours.  The investigator assessed the child in the home and determined the child was not in present or imminent danger.  The DCS investigation did not find evidence to support the allegation. The allegation was unsubstantiated. The family was provided a list of community resources and daycare, which they declined. The case was closed on December 29, 2017.
4. On March 14, 2019, the Department received a report alleging neglect to Rebekah Baptiste and her siblings by their mother and father, Mr. Baptiste. The report alleged the mother had exposed the child to substances during her pregnancy. The investigator assessed the children in their home. The DCS investigation resulted in Rebekah Baptiste and her siblings being removed and placed in out-of-home care. A dependency petition was filed with the Maricopa County Superior Court and the allegations were substantiated. During this time, the Department provided services to the family. Subsequently, the father, Richard Baptiste, was granted physical custody of the children by the court in 2022. The dependency involving Rebekah and a sibling was dismissed by the court on May 12, 2023, as result of reunification with their father, Mr. Baptiste. The dependency involving another sibling was dismissed by the court on July 9, 2024, as result of reunification with their father, Mr. Baptiste.
5. On July 26, 2021, while their children were still in DCS care, the Department received a report alleging neglect to a newborn child by their mother and father, Mr. Baptiste. The report alleged the mother had exposed a child to substances during her pregnancy. The DCS investigation resulted in the child being removed from the home and placed in a foster home. A dependency petition was filed with Maricopa County Superior Court and the allegations were substantiated. The Department was providing services to the family through the open dependency but father, Mr. Baptiste, relinquished his rights to the child. The mother’s parental rights were terminated. The dependency was dismissed on December 15, 2022.
6. On November 2, 2023, the Department received a report alleging physical abuse to a child by Mr. Baptiste’s significant other, Ms. Woods. The report alleged the child had a scratch on their neck that was caused by Ms. Woods.  The investigator assessed the child in the home and determined the child was not in present or imminent danger.  The DCS investigation did not find evidence to support the allegation. The allegation was unsubstantiated. Community supports were provided to the family and all other services were declined by the family. The case was closed on December 28, 2023.
7. On January 30, 2024, the Department received a report alleging neglect to Rebekah Baptiste and a child by their father, Mr. Baptiste. The Department made attempts to see the home of maltreatment before the next report was received. Mesa Police Department conducted a forensic interview with the children in February 2024. The DCS investigation did not result in evidence to support the allegation. The allegation was unsubstantiated. The case was still open when a second report was received on February 13, 2024.
8. On February 13, 2024, the Department received a report alleging physical abuse to a child by Mr. Baptiste’s significant other, Ms. Woods. The report alleged the child had a scratch on their neck that was caused by Ms. Woods.  The investigator assessed the child in the home and determined the child was not in present or imminent danger.   The DCS investigation did not find evidence to support the allegation. The allegation was unsubstantiated. The family was provided with a list of community resources and the case was closed on March 22, 2024.
9. On September 13, 2024, the Department received a report alleging physical abuse to a child by Mr. Baptiste’s significant other, Ms. Woods. The report alleged that the child had a scratch on their neck caused by Ms. Woods and had a bump on their head. The investigator assessed the child in the home and determined the child was not in present or imminent danger. The DCS investigation did not find evidence to support the allegation. The allegation was unsubstantiated. The case was still open when a second report came in on October 17, 2024.
10. On October 17, 2024, the Department received a report alleging neglect to Rebekah Baptiste by her father, Mr. Baptiste and Mr. Baptiste’s significant other, Ms. Woods. The report alleged that Rebekah was observed with marks on her hands and feet, and that the children were disciplined through exercise.. The investigator assessed Rebekah in her home and determined she was not in present or imminent danger.   The DCS investigation did not find evidence to support the allegation. The allegations were unsubstantiated. The case closed on November 18, 2024.
11. On January 16, 2025, the Department received a report alleging neglect to Rebekah Baptiste by her father, Mr. Baptiste and Mr. Baptiste’s significant other, Ms. Woods. The report alleged that Mr. Baptiste would have Rebekah run as a form of punishment while not allowing her bathroom or water breaks. The investigator assessed Rebekah in her home and determined she was not in present or imminent danger. The DCS investigation did not find evidence to support the allegation. The allegations were unsubstantiated. The case closed on February 28, 2025.
12. On May 19, 2025, a report was received alleging physical abuse to Rebekah Baptiste and her siblings by Mr. Baptiste’s significant other, Ms. Woods, specifically that the children were being spanked as a form of punishment. The Department made efforts to engage the family by visiting their home in Phoenix and the children’s school. However, during the course of the investigation, the family moved to Concho, AZ, and the Department did not have updated contact information. The investigation was still ongoing when the near fatality report was received on July 27, 2025.

Dig deeper:

After watching the July 27 body cam footage released by the Holbook Police Department, body language expert Susan Constantine weighed in on the behavior of those entrusted with caring for Rebekah.

"He doesn't say the name. 'It's mine.' I tell you, I do statement analysis all the time. And I'm telling you, this is a real situation. A really bad situation," Constantine said.

Constantine says Richard Baptiste is emotionally detached and deflecting, showing a lack of urgency and concern for his child. Throughout the footage, Richard Baptiste’s hands are repeatedly on his head, a gesture Constantine believes is staged.

"Emotions don't last that long. Like ‘Oh my God, I can't believe what happened’ … See how quickly that happened? He has it here the entire time. So this is staged," Constantine said.

Anicia Woods is seen running to each officer, telling a lengthy story with details unrelated to Rebekah’s situation. "She can’t be trusted in the building. There's weapons, there's knives," Woods said.

"People that are guilty of something, naturally will give away incriminating information, because it's a way to soothe their anxiety," Constantine explained.

The family was living in a yurt-style home eight miles down a dirt road. Rebekah’s two younger brothers were in a car, watching the events unfold.

When an officer asked Rebekah's brother what happened, he replied, "She ran away."

"So he was coached. That's not natural language," Constantine said.

"His hands on his head, turning the back, not touching the child and then calls it. It's mine. I mean, to me, I would tie this thing up in a nice little easy bow for the State's Attorney's office to convict these two," Constantine said about Richard and Woods.