DCS sued a year after Rebekah Baptiste, 10, dies from severe abuse
Mother files lawsuit against DCS in girl's death
An attorney representing the mother of 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste alleges DCS had 19 opportunities to save the young girl from deadly abuse.
PHOENIX - The biological mother of a 10-year-old girl at the center of a horrific and deadly child abuse case filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Department of Child Safety (DCS).
What we know:
July 30 marks one year since the death of Rebekah Baptiste. She was found unresponsive on July 27 in a remote part of Apache County and flown to Phoenix Children's Hospital, where she died three days later.
Rebekah's father, Richard Baptiste, and his girlfriend, Anicia Woods, are charged with first-degree murder. Police say she suffered from long-term abuse and had a severe brain bleed at the time of her death.
The attorney for Rebekah's mother says dozens of DCS reports were filed, but nothing was ever done.
Rebekah Baptiste begged for help months before alleged murder, report says
Newly released police records show 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste sought help at a gas station nine months before her death, but investigators closed the abuse probe after her father and his girlfriend claimed her injuries were self-inflicted.
What they're saying:
"According to everything we've gathered, there were 19 reports made, and they didn't do anything about it. She was found mutilated and starved, raped, just in a horrific condition that no child should ever suffer," said attorney Matt Boatman, partner at Gallagher & Kennedy. "You have 19 opportunities to save this girl. You had school workers, nurses, teachers, gas station workers, police officers, all reporting that this little girl was being abused. Unfortunately, she was, and she ultimately died from the physical and sexual abuse she endured."
He believes Rebekah would still be alive if DCS had removed her from the home.
Rebekah Baptiste: DCS gives timeline of reports made before girl's death
After Rebekah Baptiste's death on July 30, the Arizona Department of Child Safety released a timeline of its involvement with her family, which dates back to 2015.
"The Arizona Department of Child Safety cannot comment on pending litigation. Rebekah Baptiste's death was a tragedy, and protecting children from abuse and neglect remains our highest priority," DCS said.