Disturbing bodycam footage has been released by authorities, capturing the frantic moments leading up to the death of 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste. The girl, who was later pronounced dead at Phoenix Children's Hospital on July 30, was found unresponsive and suffering from extensive injuries inconsistent with her caregivers' initial claims of a simple fall. Her father, Richard Baptiste, and his girlfriend, Anicia Woods, are now charged with first-degree murder and child abuse as the haunting evidence unravels.
In the bodycam footage obtained by FOX10 Phoenix, a visibly distressed Woods is seen admitting to police that she hesitated to perform CPR on the girl. She explained, "I didn't even think to start CPR. I just thought, 'Let me keep breathing for her and let's just go.'" The couple claimed they encountered dropped calls while attempting to call for medical attention, despite being near Highway 180 in Apache County, where the girl eventually received emergency CPR from officers.
Further details emerged in a second bodycam video released by the Holbrook Police Department and shared with 12News. In the video, officers respond to find Rebekah lying without shoes, as one officer begins chest compressions. Woods, a former nurse, told officers she was frightened to perform CPR after noticing a "bulge in her chest" and worriedly covered the child's mouth with a T-shirt during attempted "rescue breaths" due to a concern over a possible sexually transmitted disease.
Richard Baptiste also provided conflicting details in the footage. He told officers that Rebekah had run away in the past, including on the morning of July 27, only to be discovered by neighbors. "She has a long history of running to DCS and making up stories of her brothers, us," Woods claimed in a statement obtained by 12News. However, her extensive injuries told a story of prolonged abuse. Doctors discovered a severe brain bleed, missing hair and toenails, burn marks, and other wounds.
Baptiste and Woods are scheduled to appear in court on September 4. The Apache County Sheriff's Office and the Holbrook Police Department have released footage connected to the case, as the investigation continues.
